WORRIED residents are hoping that people power will save the day in their battle to stop another home being built in their quiet cul-de-sac.

Emotions ran high as scores of people turned out at a public meeting to protest about the plans to build a three-bedroom house on a blind bend opposite a children's playground.

Madison Property Developments intends to erect the property, which neighbours fear could be multi-occupancy and therefore be out of character with the area, in Clifton Road, Regents Park, Southampton.

However, residents told local councillors that they fear increased on-street parking, which they say would create "an accident waiting to happen".

Neighbour Leslie Black said that she would have no choice but to move if the development went ahead.

She said: "Plans show three bathrooms, so it is bound to be turned into a house of multiple occupancy. This is going on right across Hampshire. The same company has bought up semi-detached houses on Regents Park Road to build flats and we are worried we will be hounded out.

"At the moment next door's tenants have five cars. With additional homes, where are the cars going to be parked? On the street it forces traffic on to the wrong side of the road and impedes bin lorries and emergency vehicles."

In a letter of objection she explained that the proposed addition to the street would create a terraced row and therefore be out of keeping with the mature area of 1930s semi-detached houses.

Concerns were also raised about a small area of garden that would be bulldozed along with a fishpond.

Other householders pointed out health and safety concerns over plans to include a septic tank.

One resident said: "I have worked in the building trade and all the tanks I have worked with have been kept at a 20-100m distance to keep them as far away as possible. These plans would presumably have it much nearer. When it breaks down we don't want to be knee deep in that. It is dangerous if you think of all the diseases you can catch."

Councillors Jeremy Moulton, Linda Norris and Andy Wells advised the scores of residents who spilled out into Miss Black's garden to put pen to paper.

Cllr Moulton said: "People power does count. You have a strong chance of these plans being knocked back. Both parking and safety on the junction can be taken into account."

The developers were unavailable for comment.