PLANS for new homes on a greenfield site in a Hampshire village has ignited anger amongst residents.

Plans have been unveiled for 49 dwellings off Sovereign Crescent in Locks Heath in a bid to address the need for housing in the area.

Under the proposed plans, planning consultants Bryan Jezeph on behalf of G Plunket plan to build a mix of two, three and four bedroom dwellings and one bedroom apartments with a large open space in the centre of the development.

However, residents have banded together to fight off the developers fearing that rare wildlife habitats could be lost in the city.

Maggie McClemont, who has lived on the Road for 20 years said: "I am horrified at the possibility of the proposed plan.

"This would have a detrimental effect on the wildlife in the area. Deer, badgers, bats, fieldmice and all manner of birds.

"Also, the disruption to our peace and quiet from all manner of huge lorries bringing equipment onto a building site (if planning permission were to be granted) would be horrendous."

Business Director Anil Jain, who has also lived on the road for 20 years said: "The planned 49 dwellings at the end of Sovereign Crescent will devastate the protected natural habitats, and we must make a conscious stand to preserve for our future generations the glorious Hampshire beauty."

Sarah Hoey, who moved to Sovereign Crescent from London two years ago said: "We're horrified at that amount of lovely green spaces being snatched up by greedy developers and how quickly the area is changing in this short time.

"The field they are proposing to build the housing on is so beautiful and bursting with wildlife, it would be a crying shame to lose it not just for us but for future generations. It's very shortsighted."

Councillor Keith Evans, who represents Locks Heath on Fareham Borough Council said: "The site would have difficulties of access because there is a lack of access from the Florins.

"There are also land sensitivity issues relating to the landscape which is why it did not make it into the council's allocation of sites in the local plan."

In response to the concerns, the developers concluded that the development would not impact upon any ecologically valuable habitats but measures would be put in place to ensure that species such as slow worms are preserved.

The plans will be determined by Fareham Borough Council's planning committee later this year.

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