ANGRY residents and councillors have vowed to fight a controversial scheme to build 300 homes on ancient Hampshire woodland.

Three communities are putting up a united front to take on developer Taylor Wimpey’s plans to concrete around 22 acres of the 214-acre Great Covert Copse on the north side of Castle Lane at North Baddesley.

Taylor Wimpey has sparked anger not only in North Baddesley but in neighbouring Chilworth and Valley Park, which lies next to the site.

Opponents of the scheme fear the green gap between Valley Park and North Baddesley will be lost and if the scheme goes ahead, the two built-up Test Valley communities will eventually merge into one massive housing development between Romsey and Chandler’s Ford.

North Baddesley Parish Council chairman David Knight is one of those opposed to the scheme, which would include felling part of Great Covert Copse – most of which is a site of importance for nature conservation and is covered by a tree preservation order.

“This is bad for Baddesley”, said Mr Knight, who also believes there are insufficient facilities in the area to support the housing project.

“This application is in a well known local gap separating communities, and this is within the Bronze age settlement area that was found when Valley Park was built.”

Mr Knight added the proposed development is “unnecessary” because Test Valley Borough Council already has adequate housing land supply for new homes for the next five years.

Taylor Wimpey’s plans include opening up woodland to the public.

Some of the woodland site has already been cleared as part of commercial forestry activities.

But Taylor Wimpey has said conifers in a plantation will need to be felled to make way for the new homes which will back on to the western edge of Valley Park.

However, planning bosses are recommending the committee rejects the scheme which has attracted widespread opposition.

Councillor Alan Dowden who is vehemently opposed to the plans said: “Nobody here that I know wants these houses. We have shown strong opposition to applications for development at Great Covert and this proposal is strongly objected to by Valley Park Parish Council.

"Almost 300 local residents and North Baddesley and Chilworth Parish Councils have also registered their objections along with Eastleigh Borough Council.”

Mr Dowden, added: “The application is proposed within a Local Gap and would be hugely unpopular with local residents. I will listen to the debate but with ancient woodlands, this proposal would damage the landscape character of the area.

"There are numerous protected wildlife species and the nightjars - ground nesting birds - that are situated here have European protection.

"Therefore once again I have major concerns in regards of development within this area.”

The borough council’s landscape team is also objecting to the proposals.

They say it will “result in the permanent loss of a substantial area of designated ancient woodland” and erode the local gap between North Baddesley and Valley Park.

Romsey and District Society has also objected along with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Romsey Ramblers and the Woodland Trust.

A spokesman for Taylor Wimpey said: “The woodland at Great Covert is currently used for commercial forestry.

"It offers no access to the public and its quality as a wildlife habitat has declined significantly in recent years as a result of its existing function and regular storm damage.

“While our proposed development will result in the loss of a small proportion of this woodland at the edge of the site, our overall scheme commits to restoring a significant area of woodland to its natural state through a detailed and long-term conservation management plan – and open up this land to the public.

“As well as providing much-needed new family homes in an accessible location, our proposals will create a fantastic new safeguarded community asset for wildlife conservation and public recreation, preserving the local gap between North Baddesley and Valley Park in perpetuity.”