MOVES are being stepped up to prevent further large scale development in Swanmore and safeguard important open spaces.

A village conservation group is actively looking at ways to preserve green areas, and a public meeting is being held in the village hall next week to discuss the future development of Swanmore.

The first draft of the Swanmore Village Design Statement is being presented at the meeting in the village hall on Thursday, November 2, at 7.30pm, for public review and comment.

Members of the design statement team will be joined by a Winchester City planner to answer questions.

The draft has been produced by six teams of villagers following the work of two summer workshops.

Meanwhile, conservation group members have been meeting to consider the best ways of looking after Green's Wood and Marsh's Meadows.

They have been praised for their valuable work by the parish council, and are planning to present a management plan to the council in the near future.

Members are also appealing to older residents to come forward with more historical information about the village to help in their conservation work.