A DEVELOPER should not be allowed to build more than 2,000 homes on a Hampshire beauty spot.

That was the decision of Winchester planning bosses last night, who were considering the future of Barton Farm.

But the final say no longer rests with them after developers lodged an appeal with the national Planning Inspectorate.

The council had previously refused permission but since the previous decision, the authority had named the greenfield site as a potential housing location in its 20-year development plan.

The draft version was voted through last year but rejected by Westminster, and now that the Government had changed, the plan might become irrelevant, members heard.

Planning officers advised that the scheme should be refused and almost all the public speakers agreed.

Winchester MP, Steve Brine, attended the meeting at the United Church in Jewry Street.

“I do not think for one moment that this development would make Winchester a better place to live,” he said.

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As well as Mr Brine, county, district and parish councillors all voiced their opposition to the scheme, including the leader of Winchester City Council, Cllr Kelsie Learney.

Nearly 600 people had written to object to the plans to build the homes on Barton Farm and 5,000 signed a petition from the Save Barton Farm Action Group.

The only speaker to urge planners to support the scheme was the developer’s own agent.

Committee members then took turns in lambasting the proposals, which also include new shops and a primary school.

They included Cllr Barry Lipscomb, who said: “I’m not convinced that building 2,000 homes on Barton Farm is going to solve the housing problems of this district.”

But fellow Conservative Cllr Ian Tait, argued that Winchester’s affordable housing supply had been “strangled” and the scheme could provide 800 such homes.

“I’m not expecting other members to do this, but I don’t think this is such a bad thing for Winchester and I’ll support it,”

he said.

His prediction was right as the committee rejected the scheme by eight votes to one.

The developer, Cala Homes has already launched an appeal, claiming the council took too long to come to a decision.

As a result, a public inquiry chaired by a Government inspector will settle the issue.

The inquiry is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, September 7.