ANGRY residents are fighting plans to establish a rehabilitation centre for almost 100 drug and alcohol-dependent criminals in their rural idyll.

Changing Lanes (12 Step) Ltd is seeking consent to turn the former Linford Park nursing home into a non-secure unit for 90 people, including prisoners released under curfew and offenders sent there as an alternative to jail.

Villagers in Linford have vowed to oppose the scheme, claiming their homes are likely to be burgled by addicts desperate for cash to buy drink or drugs if the application is given the go-ahead.

One of the objectors, Carol Wood, said: “An awful lot of people with drug and alcohol problems are going to be living in one place.

“There’s no security at all. Residents will be expected to stay on-site but there’s nothing to stop them walking out if they want to.

“It’s highly likely that crime levels in the area will rise very quickly if the scheme is approved.”

Desmond Swayne, MP for New Forest West, said he had received repre-sentations about the scheme.

But he added: “The National Park Authority (NPA) planning committee is dominated by elected councillors, and it’s for them to decide. I don’t think it would be proper for me to intrude on something about which I know little.”

Linford Park nursing home closed in 2010 following a raid by the UK Border Agency, which discovered that several illegal immigrants were working there.

Changing Lanes’s application says addicts treated at the proposed new centre will come from a variety of sources, including the Home Detention Curfew scheme, which allows certain low-risk prisoners to live outside jail under strict conditions.

It adds: “Any resident found to be in possession of, and/or under the influence of mind-altering substances will be dealt with swiftly.”

The document denies that offenders will be free to come as go as they please.

“Such action, if it occurred, would result in the resident losing his place and being removed.

“There is no sound basis, therefore, for concluding that the use would give rise to any disturbance to local residents.”

The application says the scheme has the “enthusiastic support” of Hampshire Police.

But residents living near Linford Park are urging people to back their protest by sending letters of objection to the NPA. The public consultation exercise is due to end on June 12.

Changing Lanes, based at St Neots, in Cambridgeshire, was unavailable for comment.