Proposals to build 2,000 homes on the outskirts of Winchester have been slammed by city planners.

The outline application from Cala Homes will now go before a public inquiry, likely to be held next April. They want to build at Barton Farm, a 208-acre greenfield site east of Andover Road in Harestock.

Nearly 500 residents wrote to Winchester City Council to oppose the scheme, which came before the authority's planning committee on Wednesday.

Mike Emett, of Cala Homes, argued that a dearth of new homes in Winchester was creating sky-high property prices. "There is overwhelming evidence that housing is needed now."

Laura Clarke, of the Save Barton Farm Group, stated that around 5,000 Winchester residents opposed to the scheme. She added: "Local amenities will become overwhelmed. The sudden influx of thousands of residents into the city will lead to a change for the worse."

Geoff Bruty lives in Manningford Close, Abbotts Barton, near the proposed site. He said the development would put thousands of extra cars on Winchester's roads. "Can anybody believe that all these vehicles would have no significant impact? It defies belief."

Antony Skinner, of the City of Winchester Trust, accused Cala Homes of impatience. "The trust urges the council and planning committee to stand firm, and not succumb to this pressure from a powerful and well-advised developer," he added.

Members of the planning committee then took up where the residents left off. Neil Baxter, Conservative, who used to chair the now-defunct Central Hampshire Community Health Council, cast doubt on whether health services could cope with the population increase.

"The Royal Hampshire County Hospital is running at full tilt at the moment and there just isn't the capacity for an extra four or five thousand people."

Liberal Democrat, Ray Pearce, predicted that the new homes would be a commuter dormitory, offering nothing to Winchester except traffic jams.

Conservative member, Ian Tait, said he opposed the scheme, but then commented that Winchester needed new homes. He warned that a lack of affordable housing was driving young people away from the city.

Labour group leader, Patrick Davies, slammed the proposal. He added that the council needed to brace itself for next year's inquiry. "We need to be certain that we have watertight reasons for refusal. We have to be able to prove them in front of an inspector. If we don't, we'll undermine our case."

Members voted unanimously to oppose the scheme, following advice from officers. However, their decision does not mean the end of the application. The final decision will be made at the inquiry, which was triggered when Cala Homes sent an appeal to Westminster earlier this month.

The basis of the appeal was that Winchester City Council had taken too long to reach a decision.

Both sides have blamed each other for the delay. The council says it was not given vital facts in time, while the developer says the authority was tardy in requesting the information.