A PETITION has been launched against plans to build nearly 300 homes in Overton.

As reported in The Gazette, Dandara Limited has submitted an application to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council asking for a “screening opinion” to build 275 homes on land west of Kingsclere Road, known as the Great North Field.

But villagers campaigning against the plans have now started collecting signatures on a petition, with the hope of attracting 1,000 before the detailed plans are submitted.

Peter Baker, an Overton parish councillor who is leading the campaign Don’t Pillage Overton Village, said the application undermines the work of the Neighbourhood Planning Group, who have been consulting with villagers on where housing should be built in Overton.

He said: “The valiant efforts by the Neighbourhood Planning Group in the village will come to nothing because the real power is in the hands of the developers and they are putting two fingers up to the neighbourhood planning people.”

Dandara’s plans involve building a mixture of 20 one-bedroom homes, 115 two-bedroom, 54 three-bedroom and 86 four-bedroom homes, of which 110 would be affordable.

The application states that access to the development would be via a single, two-way vehicle road off Kingsclere Road.

If approved, the new homes would generate 167 vehicle movements during the morning peak hour and 167 in the afternoon peak hour.

So far, 48 people have left comments on the plans on the borough council’s website.

Cllr Baker said he will now go door-to-door asking people to sign the petition and write in letters of objection. He also fears that any developer contributions will be spent in the neighbouring town of Whitchurch, rather than Overton.

A detailed planning application is due to be submitted by Dandara at a later date.