Residents of the Campbell Hill neighborhood are fighting a proposed 55-and-older condominium development proposed for Nancy Lane on land originally meant for single-family homes.

Developer J.R. Ouellette sees the proposal as beneficial to the neighborhood.

“It affords people that are 55+ the opportunity to live in a secure facility within a community,” he said. “This project will also allow the opportunity for an older person to live on their own while being close to other family members. It will give concerned adult children the ability to have a parent close to them and allow them the feeling of relief knowing the parent is in a secure close area. The other advantage to a project like this one is there’s no tax impact to the town. This type of development only adds revenue to the general fund.”

Phil Denbow, who lives at 8 Nancy Lane, sees the proposal for three 12-unit three-story buildings differently. He distributed a flier around the neighborhood outlining his concerns.

It lists worries of additional car traffic, additional ambulance and fire traffic, concern that the buildings will tower over the homes on the hill and be brightly lit, that it will adversely affect property values, as well as the concern that removing trees and soil will “wreak havoc with drainage” in the neighborhood.

Peter Rowell, who sits on the Hooksett Zoning Board, said such as use is allowed in the Campbell Hill neighborhood, but only with a special exception. Other uses are also allowed, such as churches and synagogues, or two-family dwellings. He emphasized that neighbors against the development cannot stop it simply because they don’t like the idea.

“Neighbors have a right to give the Zoning Board input,” he said, “and board has to look at that it can’t be detrimental to the neighborhood. The Planning Board has to weigh in on it. The Conservation Commission does as well. It cannot be detrimental to the property values of the neighbors.”

Rowell said the applicant did supply property valuation assessment, which notes it is a similar use to Westview Terrace at the entry of neighborhood. He also noted that the roads were built to handle traffic.

Town Planner Jo Ann Duffy said there may still be a need in Hooksett for elderly housing, though there are enough plans at the moment that this development would bring Hooksett to about 10 percent of the housing to be designated for those 55 and older.

“There are nine altogether existing and planned,” she said. The only ones not approved are Brookview, which is on Hooksett Road south of Universit Heights, and Webster Woods phase 2 on Route 3. Both are before the Planning Board. The others are Westview Terrace, Harmony just approved on Hooksett Road, Berry Hill, Brook Ridge, Stonegate, Lafond by the Town Hall, and Hollyberry by Kmart.

To stop the development, arguments would have to touch on legal rather than emotional aspects, said both Rowell and Duffy. Property values, traffic and visibility are all such concerns. “The toughest part is, we’re not anti-old folks,” said Denbow. “It’s the right project, but wrong location.”