A PETITION on one of the most controversial Romsey schemes in recent memory has closed with more than 2,500 signatures.

The campaign is calling on civic chiefs to keep Crosfield Hall in its current location. 

The issue has been hugely controversial with the recent announcement of the next round of consultation launching this summer. A new Citizens' Assembly will be held in June and July, five years on from the previous one. This will give residents the chance to have a fresh say on the hall's future. 

The petition was started by Hilary Philbin on February 16 and closed on April 16. 

The online version got 219 signatures with the paper copies, in 14 places around the town, getting approximately 2,500, bringing a total of just over 2,700. 

Mrs Philbin said: “The local businesses who are holding signature forms are all saying the same thing - that they've never known so many Romsey residents to be so outraged about a local issue.

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 “Whatever the outcome, I think the petition has achieved two objectives. The first was to give people a channel through which they can voice their opinion, and the second was to highlight the subject in order to prompt some clarification on the status quo.”

The Mayor of Romsey John Ray recently gave his backing to the campaign. He previously told the Advertiser: “As mayor of the town, people have approached me about this. People want the Crosfield Hall to stay where it is. It's an iconic building at the entrance to the town. 

“The petition is important because it shows the local authority how people feel. People want clarity.”

Residents have criticised the proposal to move the hall to the Romsey Rapids site because it's outside the town centre. However, civic chiefs have argued that it will be central when the 1,100 home development at Whitenap is constructed. 

Also, the idea of the hall being refurbished has been criticised as Romsey Future said it would mean residents would be without a community facility for two years. If Crosfield Hall is moved, the old one would not be demolished until the new one was built. 

Romsey Future, the group working on the South of Romsey Town Centre Masterplan, previously said that no final decision had been made on the relocation of the hall. 

Community groups wanting to participate in the consultation should email romseyfuture@testvalley.gov.uk.