PLANS to build more than 300 homes on greenfield land near Beggarwood in Basingstoke have gone before residents.

Wates Developments wants to build on Kennel Farm – a 12-hectare site on the A30 – and the company has now held two public consultation events.

As many as 325 family homes could be built on the site, providing pedestrian access to the neighbouring Old Down Woodland Park. The site would be accessed by a new junction on the A30 Winchester Road.

Dozens of residents attended the consultation events, held at Hatch Warren Community Centre, in Longcross Lane, last Thursday and Saturday.

Among the comments from visitors was a desire to see brownfield sites built on first, and a concern that existing infrastructure will not be able to support such a large number of homes.

Peter Moss, of Bunting Mews, Kempshott, told The Gazette: “I think this side of Basingstoke has been extremely generous in the amount of land it has given up to housing.

“When you look around and see the gridlock in the road system, and the lack of spaces in schools, it does become a problem.”

Chris Burkinshaw, of Mallard Close, Kempshott, added: “I understand new homes have to built but these plans don’t seem well thought through.”

John Tarvit, senior land and planning manager at Wates, said outline planning permission could be applied for as early as this summer.

Speaking about the consultation, he said: “What we want to learn from this is what the neighbouring community thinks about our proposals and is there anything we might have missed. Engaging with the community every step of the way is an essential part of the way we work.”

Mr Tarvit said 40 per cent of the new houses would be designated as affordable homes, meaning the development would help to reduce the number of people on the borough’s housing register.