A LAST-ditch attempt to derail a plan to “test” Winchfield as a site to build thousands of new homes was defeated last night.

Councillor Ken Crookes, leader of Hart District Council, asked to take the Winchfield site out of Hart’s preferred strategy for future housing, some four hours into last night’s full council meeting.

It was comprehensively defeated, with only four members voting in its favour, and Cllr Crookes was criticised by some councillors, including members of his own Conservative party, for introducing the proposal so late.

Scores of villagers from Winchfield and Hartley Wintney turned up for the meeting at Hart’s council offices in Fleet to make their views known.

So many turned up that some had to listen to proceedings in the building’s foyer.

Critics of the plan have said that it would destroy the “rural heart” of the district and effectively join Winchfield with surrounding villages, including Hartley Wintney.

As reported in The Gazette, Hart is trying to draw up its local plan for future housing, after an inspector rejected its previous attempt last year for not consulting enough with neighbouring authorities.

Members were considering its preferred strategy for future housing growth for the next 20 years, including building 1,800 to 2,400 homes at Winchfield.

The major development would be the first stage of building a new town, with up to 5,000 homes planned in total, the meeting heard.

Debate started after an hour of supplementary questions from villagers to Cllr Stephen Parker, Hart’s Cabinet member for planning.

Many councillors said that by building a new settlement at Winchfield, it could use developer money to help build infrastructure, including a new secondary school.

But Cllr Crookes said it was a risk to pursue a new settlement at Winchfield as money given by developers for infrastructure improvements would be around £80million.

He added: “£40million would go on a secondary school, then we would have to extend the platforms at Winchfield station and build a car park.

“£80million is not enough to sustain a new development. This needs to be done properly over a period of time.”

He suggested reducing the planned housing period to 15 years, rather than 20, and to drop Winchfield from the plan.

But Cllr Sharyn Wheale, Conservative member for Fleet East, said: “I cannot understand why this idea has not come up before. It’s 11pm.

"We should not be delaying this for something that has come out of the blue."

After defeating Cllr Crookes proposal, members voted 29 votes to four in favour of testing Winchfield as a suitable site for development.