A group of residents is planning to protest outside Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council next week against the rising number of new housing projects in the region.

People across the borough are being called to join the protest at 5.30pm on Thursday, September 2 – the same time when the council meets to debate upcoming housing projects, including the controversial plan to build 2,500 homes in Cliddesden.

Calling more people to join the protest, leader of the Basingstoke & Deane Independent Group Cllr Paul Harvey said the residents have had enough of being taken for granted by the planning system, government, and council.

He added: “We say enough is enough, Basingstoke & Deane deserves to be loved not ripped apart or concreted over with housing that won’t deliver for local people and will irrevocably damage our environment.

“It is claimed people want homes for their children to live in, but if that comes at the cost of the environment what kind of future are we condemning them to.

“We can do a lot better and we must. We are not NIMBYs [not in my backyards], we’ve just had enough of being taken for granted by the planning system, government, and council. Join us, let’s unite and love Basingstoke & Deane.”

In a Facebook post, Cllr Harvey outlined that the Basingstoke borough council has built over 12,000 homes over the last 14 years, putting it at the top of the local league of councils for development in the region.

He said, however, the infrastructure has not been improved, leaving services at breaking point.

“People cannot get a GP appointment because of the acute shortage of doctors. People have to ship their children from one side of Basingstoke to the other because they don’t have a local school or the nearest one is at capacity.

“Estates are built and lack community facilities or access to adequate open space because developers fall short of their responsibilities. Our leisure facilities need saving and renewing.

“The environment is crucial and we need to see climate change taken seriously. After all, the council has declared a Climate Emergency. We have to see only zero carbon homes built, not offset for someone else to pick up the tab.

“Walking by the Loddon the other day you could smell the raw sewage. Last year sewage was pumped into the River Loddon 40 times for 410 hours to stop the sewage coming up in gardens in the Town.

Cllr Harvey said some of the most environmentally sensitive lands in our Borough promoted by developers have been put on a shortlist for the next Local Plan.

“The council has agreed to take 17,820 houses and flats from the government – handed down using the national methodology, not local assessment.

“The Council excuses this by saying they can only consider the land promoted by developers, so they create ‘Hobson’s choice’ which is no choice at all.

“This local plan seeks to pit communities against their neighbours, playing us off against each other.”

Thursday’s council meeting has been convened by the economic, planning, and housing overview committee to advise the council cabinet on where possible sites for development could be.

Among the projects to be discussed is the plan to build a garden village development to the south of the M3.

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

Cllr Harvey said the council does not have transport, water, sustainability, or infrastructure studies on which to base any planning decision.

“It’s the cart before the horse,” he added.