CAMPAIGNERS have launched a fight against plans to build affordable housing on the edge of a village.

It comes after councillors in South Wonston, working with Winchester City Council (WCC) and the Hampshire Alliance for Rural Affordable Housing (HARAH) identified a potential site in the parish.

The parish council has described the scheme as “much-needed”, and said: “Affordability of housing is a massive problem in Winchester District and South Wonston is no exception.

“The continued rise of house prices has left many local people priced out of the area, so the parish council has decided to try and help. A site has been identified at Persimmon Field (also known as Goldfinch Way), but a minority of villagers have voiced their opposition to it while the rest remain largely silent, putting the future of this much-needed scheme at risk.”

Now a campaign group has formed to fight against the plans, arguing: “South Wonston is a village that commands considerable property prices.”

The Goldfinch Way Action Group said: “We are very much in danger due to the developments that are currently being discussed. Micheldever is again facing an application for a 12,500 homes, Kings Barton we know will have 800 affordable homes. Barton Stacey has empty affordable homes and Basingstoke has had a number of development projects.

“It is certainly foreseeable in our lifetime that Southampton to Basingstoke will become one enormous housing conurbation and with little greenfield land left in place.”

The group added that amenities such as schools and medical facilities in the village would be unable to cope with an increased population, while there is just one village shop and the nearest supermarkets are unreachable by public transport.

“It is clear that affordable housing is not appropriate and is not supported by the group. Residents in affordable housing in South Wonston will be severely disadvantaged and set up to fail both financially and emotionally. The amenities in South Wonston are already over stretched and further housing will exacerbate this.

“We all struggled to buy a first property as did our parents. We did not all buy a four bedroom house as a first property for £400,000.”

This contradicted a briefing note for South Wonston councillors published earlier this month, which said: “Additional development will help sustain local services, businesses and amenity/recreation/sporting groups.

“The (school) published admission numbers have not been reached for many years and children are admitted from out of catchment. There is capacity for extra pupils.”

It also addressed criticisms of a HARAH consultation report. It said: “HARAH disputes that the report is not reflective of the comments received. The report went into a great deal of detail on all comments received both positive and negative.

“HARAH believes that many of the concerns can be addressed by amendments to the proposal or through the necessary survey information which will need to be carried out before a decision is taken on whether to progress with the development.

The Chronicle was unable to reach Cllr Caroline Horrill – who as well as being city council leader, is a ward councillor for the area and portfolio holder for housing – for comment at the time of going to press.