RESIDENTS turned out in force in a large show of support against an appeal by a housing developer to build hundreds of homes on the outskirts of Basingstoke.

David Wilson Homes Southern is seeking to overturn Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s development control committee’s decisions last year to refuse outline planning permission for 450 homes, and detailed planning permission for 200 homes at land north of Marnel Park.

On Tuesday, a public inquiry held an open session which gave residents a chance to put their views to Government planning inspector Ken Barton.

Sixteen people spoke at the meeting – two residents were from the current Marnel Park development, 13 from neighbouring village Sherborne St John, and North East Hampshire MP James Arbuthnot, right, whose constituency includes Sherborne St John.

No one spoke in favour of the development.

Criticism was levelled at the developer’s proposed scheme on the grounds of environmental damage, over-development of Popley, congestion concerns, and fears that Sherborne St John would become a “suburb of Basingstoke”.

Mr Arbuthnot said he supported the borough council’s decision to reject the house-builder’s planning applications. He told Mr Barton: “The reasons the council has given make absolute sense to me.”

The MP added: “Localism means listening to the voices of the hundreds of objections and local elected councillors. Development needs to be led by the consent of local people and not in the teeth of their objections.”

Popley resident Daniel O’Loughlin, an ecological conservation lecturer at Sparsholt College, expressed concerns that the planned development would pollute the nearby habitat of protected species, the Great Crested Newt.

He added that the proposed development site is popular with residents.

“It is an amazing resource for us, and for people in the borough,” he said. “Its loss, I know, would have a detrimental impact.”

Sherborne St John residents argued that David Wilson Homes’ proposal would destroy their village.

Kiln Farm resident Kevin O’Kelly said: “Sherborne St John, a village for a thousand years, could cease to exist. It needs to remain a village. It should not be subsumed into Basingstoke.”

The inquiry concluded on Friday and Mr Barton will now prepare a report for the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles, and he will decide whether to grant planning permission.