PEOPLE concerned about massive housing plans packed out a meeting where they were told they must make their voices heard.

Conservationists, residents’ groups and parish councils are busy trying to rouse people to comment on a consultation process on the 945 homes that have to be built in Basingstoke and Deane every year up to 2026.

With just days to go before the deadline for comments of Monday, June 21, campaigning group Save Our Loddon Valley and Environment (SOLVE) called an emergency meeting at Old Basing Village Hall on Saturday to encourage people to take part.

The meeting was also attended by Basingstoke MP Maria Miller.

The meeting heard how the groups plan to lobby the borough council over the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), the hit-list of potential sites needed to achieve Government housing targets.

The organisers asked residents to register their feelings because their comments will influence which sites are chosen.

Sven Godesen, who represents Basing ward on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, said: “If voices are loud enough, people will listen.”

SOLVE campaign manager Clive Pinder said the high attendance reflected worries about the prospect of thousands of homes mushrooming in the borough.

He said: “People are being asked to respond to the consultation to make sure their councillors and MPs understand the strength of feeling.”

SOLVE, along with another residents’ organisation, Country Watch, fears the delicate environment of the River Loddon area would be jeopardised if, as is possible, a new town of 10,000 new homes were to spring up in land adjoining Old Basing, Chineham and Newnham.