A NEW homes plan on a greenfield site in a Hampshire village has ignited anger among residents after it was recommended for approval by civic chiefs.

Plans have been unveiled for 46 homes off Sovereign Crescent in Locks Heath in a bid to address the need for housing in the area.

Consultant Bryan Jezeph, on behalf of developer G Plunket, wants to build a mix of two, three and four-bedroom homes and one-bedroom apartments with a large open space in the centre of the development.

However, residents have banded together to fight the plan, fearing that rare wildlife habitats could be lost.

Tara Lanagan, who has lived on Sovereign Crescent for 12 years, said: “They are turning the area from a quiet road into a main road for this development, which is infuriating for the people that live here.

“The development is completely unacceptable, our house prices are going to go down.”

Business director Anil Jain, who has lived on the road for 20 years, said: “The planned 46 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.”

In a report, council offers have recommended to councillors: “The site of this planning application was considered as part of the council’s “call for sites” process as part of the review of the local plan for housing.

“It is not proposed to be allocated for housing within the draft local plan.

“However, at this stage, the draft plan carries limited weight in the assessment and determination of this planning application.”

Plans will go before councillors tomorrow.