VILLAGERS are outraged at the resubmission of a planning application for a community and leisure centre 12 months after it was stopped in the face of strong opposition.

Lane End Residents Action Group battled against plans for the £720,000 commercially-managed centre, last year. They said it far outweighed the needs of the village and would mean an influx of people from High Wycombe and Marlow sports centres.

Protesters felt it would increase traffic in the area and the 11,000sq ft proposal would be placed on green belt land in an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).

The application was withdrawn in July last year and Wycombe District Council advised Lane End Parish Council to work with residents to find a solution. But villagers say the council has not consulted the public and merely re-issued the application with a slightly smaller site.

Colin Harries, from The Row, Lane End, represents Lane End Residents Action Group. He said: 'There are green belt issues involved. It is designated as an AONB, which they have plans to decimate, there is also the traffic.

'They appeared at the sports club the night before presenting the plans to Wycombe District Council and said here we are, we are going to present these plans. It is hardly the way to win the hearts and minds of the people in the village who already have objections.'

Last year, around 80 per cent of people using the sports facilities in the area wanted to keep the existing pavilion rather than have a new centre.

Keith Martin, chairman of Lane End Parish Council, said: 'There is no secrecy. The proposals have been discussed at every parish council meeting for the last two years.'

He said the parish, together with Francis Edmonds School and the district and county council, was considering placing a youth facility at the school.

He added: 'Before any decision is made, the opinions of the public will be sought and taken into consideration.'