THE fate of Barton Farm in Winchester is hanging in the balance after developers went to the High Court.

After several hours of debate, judges will now rule on a crucial legal point that could strengthen plans for 2,000 homes or deal them a major blow.

A decision is expected within days on whether the Coaltion Government can scrap regional planning targets.

Barton Farm developer Cala Homes argues that Westminster cannot shelve the figures until a new policy is in place.

At the High Court on Friday (October 22), they faced not only Government lawyers, but several members of the Save Barton Farm Group.

Around 20 of them travelled to London and demonstrated outside the courts in The Strand, joined by Winchester MP, Steve Brine.

He said: “The fate of Barton Farm hangs in the balance of complex legal argument but we are clear the Government will robustly challenge this case.

“Nothing can change the fact that Cala Homes’ plan for 2,000 houses on this site would significantly change Winchester and they do not command the support of local people."

Several hundred members of Save Barton Farm Group marched through Winchester last year to voice their anger at the plans.

Its chairman, Gavin Blackman, said they would continue to oppose the scheme.

He said: “Going to the High Court was quite a good education in how the process works.

“If Cala ever succeeds in getting planning permission then we’d certainly look to take them to the highest court in the land to fight it.”

He added that they backed the Government’s scrapping of housing targets, which has reduced pressure on greenfield sites like Barton Farm.

He said they hoped that Winchester City Council would use the changes to fend off the plan for 2,000 homes.

The local authority has already rejected the scheme twice, but Cala Homes is lodging an appeal.

It is due to be heard in Winchester in February by a planning inspector who can overrule the council.

Cala’s appeal will be strengthened if its legal bid at the High Court is upheld.

However, the firm said it plans to keep going even if judges rule against them in the coming days.

Cala argues that Winchester has an urgent need for more housing, shops and school places, which are part of its plan.