SITES in Overton earmarked for hundreds of new homes will be reviewed after councillors voted for senior officers to have another look at their suitability.

More than 700 properties could be forced on the village after they were included in the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) – a list of sites in the borough that could take new homes.

An 8.5-hectare site on Overton Hill off London Road could take 200 homes according to the document, with a nine hectare site on Two Gate Lane set aside for the same amount. A 6.7-hectare plot used mainly as a landfill site near Pond Close was also included for 200 homes.

Ward councillor Ian Tilbury told a rearranged meeting of the planning and infrastructure committee at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, that Overton would be unable to cope with development on any of the sites.

Cllr Tilbury argued that there would be little or no change to the village’s infrastructure over the next two decades, making an influx of new homes unsustainable.

“It isn’t going to happen in the next 20 years so let us assume that the infrastructure will stay this way – so is it still viable? I would say it’s not.”

Cllr Tilbury described the Pond Close site as “laughable”. He added: “Honestly, I think we would build on the moon if we could get there.”

Cllr Martin Biermann agreed: “Overton has had a lot recently so to put on more in this proportion puts too much strain on something that is not meant for this kind of input.”

The committee voted that the sites be reviewed by the borough council’s corporate director Karen Brimacombe and legal chief Christopher Guy, who will assess their suitability against planning rules.

Land to the north of Court Farm, earmarked for 80 homes will also be reviewed as will Laverstoke Mill, which could take 52 new properties, according to the SHLAA.