A FORMER Saints legend has led the battle against plans to build new houses near his Hampshire home.

Sky Sports pundit Matt le Tissier joined the campaign against the scheme in North Baddesley.

Landowner Graham Lewis wanted to tear down a bungalow at Nutburn Hollow and replace it with five new homes.

Each of the proposed new properties would have four bedrooms and a double garage.

But the former Southampton striker was furious at the plans and was joined by North Baddesley Parish Council, Romsey and District Society as well as other neighbours to challenge the proposal.

The former football star, who played 443 times from Saints scoring 161 goals for the club, said the proposals for Sandy Lane would “dwarf the current houses around the property”.

The 47-year-old added that the plans would also lead to increased traffic in the area and increase the risk of accidents.

He said: “I see from the plans that quite a few trees will be coming down which I feel would be detrimental to the rural feel of the area, which was one of the main reasons for me purchasing my property in the first place.”

The former England international also expressed his fears over the increased volume of traffic he claimed the few new houses would bring.

“Given that I walk/ cycle my seven-year old daughter past the end of Sandy Lane to the shops on a regular basis and it’s already a hazardous point in that journey, I feel the large increase in traffic movements will dramatically increase the risk of a serious accident here.”

Fellow local resident Irene Knight added: “I am concerned for the quality of life of the existing residents many of whom are elderly. Sandy Lane is a private road which will be destroyed by the construction traffic.”

Romsey and District Society had also objected to the proposal they said: “The application shows the loss of 13 tress and the ones marked for retention are unlikely to survive long term because of their close proximity to the new buildings.”

Jennifer Adams, chairman of the society’s natural environment committee added that it would “put increased pressure on Emer bog which has already been subject to recent planning activity in its vicinity”.

The Highways officer from the county council and the trees officer from Test Valley Borough Council had also objected to the proposals.

Planning bosses from Test Valley Borough Council reject the proposed development.

They say the refused the application on the grounds that “the proposal represents unjustified development in the countryside for which there is no overriding need”.