CAMPAIGNERS are calling on royal help in their bid to stop what they call the overdevelopment of a former Southampton shipbuilding site.

Residents fighting plans to build 1,650 homes on the former Vosper Thornycroft site in Woolston have written to Prince Charles, urging him to back their protest at the plans.

They are also taking their protest to the streets today and hoping that with his keen interest in architecture and development issues the future king will support their bid to reduce the number of homes planned.

Click here for a gallery of what the development will look like

Residents hope to add his name to the 1,000 who have already sent letters of objection to Southampton City Council voicing their concern at the plans.

As reported in yesterday's Daily Echo it is thought to be one of the biggest shows of opposition to a development ever seen in the city.

The letter to Clarence House, penned by Andrew Middleton on behalf of the Woolston Community Association, sets out their concerns over how the number of homes has increased since the initial application, and how the process has been handled.

Speaking about the bid for royal support, Mr Middleton said: "We have written to him because we think it will be something he is interested in given his involvement in architecture and design.

"We are concerned that this development could set a precedent that he would be concerned about."

More than 100 residents were today expected to march on the Civic Centre in protest at the plans. Mr Middleton sounded a rallying cry for those opposed to the plans to join them.

He said: "We have got to keep fighting for it, make the community rise up to their greed."

The crowd is expected to gather at 4pm at the war memorial before walking to the council buildings to hand in a 75- page document detailing their objections.

"We want to make it clear that we are not in opposition to the development of the site. We welcome it and the jobs the Palmer Johnson aspect of it will bring. Our concern is that they are overdeveloping it with flats that will encourage transient dwellers, and of course the impact of that number of people on the surrounding area," said Mr Middleton.

"The development should be encouraging sustainable family homes, places where people will want to stay and bring up their families."

Developers Crest Nicholson have repeatedly stated that the mix of flats and houses was in line with the council's policy and that they had put measures in place to reduce the impact of the development on the existing communities.