A QUIET Hampshire community has been rocked by the sudden resignation of three parish councillors in a row over where affordable homes should be built in the village.

The dispute over the choice of preferred sites for affordable homes in Broughton has also led to a rebellion by villagers who were surveyed by the parish council for their views on where any future development should go.

But the majority of the 10 councillors ignored residents' views and voted in favour of two controversial sites -one in School Lane and the other at Coolers Field in Horsebridge Road.

Proposals for Coolers Field would include eight housing association rented properties and 11 to sell on the open market and at Horsebridge Field the mix would be 11 housing association and 10 open market homes.

And at Hinwood Field in School Lane the proposals would include 11 rented homes and 17 for either open market or housing association.

Another sites looked at by the parish council for possible housing was Buckholt Field.

Villagers preferred site for affordable homes was on parish council owned next to Broughton Cemetery and residents are angry that the parish's plans also include homes for sale.

Three councillors, Nigel Ottley, Sarah Hendy and Peter Broome have now resigned their seats and Tim Jenner has also stood down as chairman but remains on the grass roots authority.

Angry villagers have now formed Affordable Housing for Broughton in a bid to overturn the parish council's unpopular decision.

The group's chairman Stephen Pay said: “We urge Broughton Parish Council to reconsider their position because we are dumbfounded by what has happened and also for Test Valley Borough Council to show greater interest in the decision-making process which has gone awry. We are concerned about the division within the village and subsequent ill-feeling caused.”

Affordable Housing for Broughton has sent out letters to villagers accusing the parish council of “completely ignoring” their views and asking residents to write to the clerk expressing their concerns about the way the council handled the matter.

Mr Pay added: “The consultation showed that the village wants, on average 17-18 houses built over a five year. Instead the council chose to pursue two big all in one go sites.”

He said that the parish council was elected to represent residents' views but it had failed on the housing survey issue.

“The parish council is there to represent the majority's views but they were not doing so. It is very sad it has come to this because some of the councillors have done some good work,” added Mr Pay who has lived in Broughton for nearly 20 years.

He also claimed that the council had completely ignored the results of survey and had gone against Test Valley Borough Council's Draft Local Plan which called for development to be kept within the village boundary.

“A group of councillors seem to have used the desire for more affordable homes as a means of developing a large new housing estate on the edge of the village with more executive homes than affordable,” says Affordable Housing for Broughton in a letter to residents.

Dagan James who was born in the village and now breeds water buffalo at Manor Farm, said more low cost homes are needed for local people not luxury homes.

“Affordable homes are essential, open market homes are of no benefit to the community just developers. Broughton is lacking sustainable affordable housing,” said Dagan.

No one from the parish council was available for comment on the resignations.