THE planning process in Basingstoke and Deane has fallen into disrepute, borough councillors were told.

However, at a meeting of the full borough council, opposition members failed in their bid to have a major site on the western side of town included in an official list of sites earmarked for new homes in the years up to 2026.

Labour, Liberal Democrat and Independent councillors are angry that the ruling Conservatives have excluded the 820 hectares at Manydown from the Local Development Framework which will be submitted to Government for approval next year.

Instead, the bulk of development is earmarked to take place at locations including Pyotts Hill and Basingstoke Golf Club.

At last Thursday’s meeting, opposition councillors repeated claims that Councillor Stephen Reid, a committee chairman, and Cllr Rob Golding, a Cabinet member, should have declared an interest before site selection began. This was because the two Conserva-tives have previously campaigned against Manydown being developed.

The opposition councillors said it made no sense for Manydown to be jointly owned by the borough and county councils and not included as a potential development site, particularly as the site had been bought for £10million in 1996 for that purpose.

But a series of opposition motions was defeated, with the only Conservative support coming from Onnalee Cubitt and Sven Godesen – the two Basing ward councillors.

Cllr Martin Biermann, who represents Chineham, said Manydown “should be part of the consideration”, but not necessarily built on.

Cllr Ian Tilbury, from Overton ward, said: “We are being forced to consult on ‘any down but Manydown’.”

Cllr Gavin James, Liberal Democrat group leader, said Manydown could provide a new ring road, ease traffic pressure and head off the development of “Oakleystoke”.

Labour’s Cllr Paul Harvey said the average person would think the process of site selection was biased, and he called for a scrutiny panel to re-examine it and “put integrity back into the process”.

In response, the Conservatives said the opposition could have raised all the same points a year ago, but chose not to. Public consultation had also rev-ealed that people did not want a major development area like Manydown.

Cllr Reid, chairman of the planning and infrastructure committee, said Manydown had already been turned down by a planning inspector when put forward for 8,000 houses by the previous Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition.

He said he had stopped being a leader of the Save Manydown Group when he was elected to the borough council in 2008, and had never argued on principle against Manydown, but on planning grounds. He said: “I recognise that one day it may well be developed.”

Cllr Reid added that if he were to be barred from chairing a committee or making a decision, then councillors would be barred from all sorts of offices.