Over one thousand worried residents have signed a petition urging Basingstoke and Deane borough council to reconsider a development proposal.
The council registered an application on Thursday August 26 to develop the former Three Barrels pub in Winklebury centre.
Residents say that if the current proposals are given the green light then it will destroy the community in Winklebury.
The application will look to develop the pub, which is currently derelict after closing six months ago, into two new shop fronts.
Winklebury Centre Shop Owner, Barry Dodds, 41, from Brighton Hill said: “I have no problem with them developing the building but what they are proposing at the moment is disastrous to our community in Winklebury.”
The pub, shops and flats in Winklebury Centre are built around a central square which all face towards each other and away from the road and car park behind it.
The proposed development would build two shops with their backs facing the square and the front entrances looking onto the road.
Mr Dodds, whose shop Greenways News Agents, will celebrate 40 years in the family, said that the current parking spaces are used by residents needing to get around Winklebury and Castle Hill Primary School.
He said: “The car parks are used by lots of residents around here, the pub was always dead as a Dodo and nobody ever would use it.
“If shops are built you will have a loading bay and customers coming off the road clogging up the space, people dropping kids at school will not have anywhere to park.
"If they want to open two shops then we want them facing this way. My question to the council is do they believe in community.”
Mr Dodds launched a petition on Tuesday, September 14 to submit to the borough council pressuring them to reconsider the application.
Former Winklebury Ward Councillor, Lea Jeff, said: “There has been over 1000 signatures to the petition over three days and 14 letters have been sent to the council and there are still more coming in.”
Residents said that they believe that there are a number of better, alternative uses for the pub site.
Terri Russell, 21, Winklebury Way, said: “Around here it is like a family and we could lose that if they put in a large store. It would be much better if they used the site for a new health centre or charity shop. That's what we need here.”
The application has been referred to Development Control committee scheduled to November.
