Basingstoke council is set to discuss plans to build a garden village development to the south of the M3 next month. 

The economic, planning and housing committee will discuss the Upper Swallick Garden Village Project in its meeting on Thursday, September 2.

As previously reported in The Gazette, Portsmouth Estates has submitted plans to turn farmland in Cliddesden into a housing estate around the size of central Basingstoke, comprising of 2,500 homes.

It as already faced objection from residents who formed an action group calling on the council to stop the proposal from going ahead. 

However speaking previously, Lord Lymington said the nation is facing a housing crisis and this project would meet demand. 

According to the meeting agenda document, the council officers have recommended that the Upper Swallick project is problematic.

It reads: “There are fundamental concerns with the possible allocation of the site, particularly in relation to highways, landscape, heritage and settlement character. Therefore, it is recommended that the site is not shortlisted for potential allocation.

“In terms of comparing the site with the other new settlement option, Popham, it is considered that Popham is the more promising alternative. Popham is somewhat more problematic in terms of location in terms of sustainability, as it is further away, and more detached, from Basingstoke. However, despite being closer to Basingstoke, Upper Swallick still appears problematic in terms of achieving satisfactory connectivity.

“Furthermore, the separation of Popham from other settlements means that the development could take place without having a detrimental impact on existing settlements (in terms of character), whereas the impact upon Cliddesden is considered to be very significant and a huge concern.”

Stand up for the North Hampshire Downs (STaNHD), a group formed to protest the development, is also urging people to write to the councillors who attend the meeting to voice their objections.

It said in a Facebook post: “On Thursday September 2, there is a Basingstoke and Deane Council meeting of the Economic Planning and Housing Committee. They will be discussing the Local Plan & Upper Swallick Garden Village will be up for discussion. We need to keep the development out of the Local Plan.

“Please help prevent this. Please write to the attending councillors or your local councillor to voice your objections to the Upper Swallick development being included in the local plan.

“If you would like help with what to write, follow this link: https://www.stanhd.com/how-to-help”