Micheldever residents are meeting next week to discuss where to house nine funfair families.

The one-off meeting comes ahead of the site visit by Winchester City Council planners, who want to see the 10-acre land off Basingstoke Road, near Micheldever, before they decide whether to convert it into a winter base for nine travelling showpeople families.

Residents are not allowed on the site visit, on private land, so will have a meeting beforehand to discuss the controversial issue.

Paul Knight, from Micheldever Parish Council, said: "I am expecting a lot of people and we have quite a few problems with this planning application.

"The officers are riding roughshod over everything and are changing the rules to suit themselves.

"In the guidance notes on planning, it says that all criteria should be met and not just some of them, as is the case here. I will be talking about that."

The Dever Society also fears that providing space for as many as 200 people could place a huge strain on services such as schools.

The meeting, at Northbrook Hall, in Micheldever, starts at 10.30am on Wednesday (January 22nd).