THESE are the controversial plans which could change the face of Allbrook village on Eastleigh's northern boundary if councillors give the development scheme the go-ahead.

The outline application from Edmund Nuttall Ltd and Forelle Estates Ltd would sweep away the village's Victoria Inn and the current Nuttall plant-hire depot.

In their place would be 24 flats in a pair of two-storey blocks, a community store with a post office, an office block and a 20-space car park for residents of Allbrook Hill.

On the north side of Allbrook Hill, the scheme envisages the restoration of the Grade II listed Allbrook Farmhouse - the 17th century home of Britain's first professional woman portraitist Mary Beale - as a single home.

A paddock to the rear of the farmhouse - which the Beales moved to in 1665, partly to avoid the Great Plague in London - would be developed with 66 homes plus car parking and landscaping, and a vehicular access off Pitmore Road.

Planning consultants for the development applicants have told Eastleigh council it was felt the scheme offered "considerable benefits to the council and the residents of Allbrook."

Incentives include getting rid of the unsightly Nuttall yard, the offer to pay for a full traffic calming scheme for Allbrook Hill - including the provision of a roundabout at the junction of Pitmore Road - and the gift of nearly ten acres of land to the council for public open space.

In the past, the council has unsuccessfully tried to provide a car park for Allbrook Hill residents in a bid to get parked cars off the difficult Allbrook Hill - and the scheme would also provide the village with a convenience store to replace three local stores which have all closed over the course of some years.

But the paddock land bounded by Pitmore Road is designated as "countryside" in Eastleigh's local plan and local residents have already declared war on the greenfield development proposals which they claim would double the size of the village.

A protest petition has already been launched and points out that the scheme would put additional pressures on important conservation sites such as Otterbourne Woods and the Itchen Navigation.

Loss of fields and ancient hedgerows bordering Pitmore Road, would have a major impact on wildlife and protesters claim the proposed development is out of character with the existing housing and semi-rural location.

There are also fears that the new development will increase the village's traffic and car parking problems.

The petition has been organised by Steve and Tina Scholey, who live in Pitmore Road.

Mrs Scholey said: "Most of the people moved here because it is a semi-rural area."

And Dr Scholey said it was feared the new development would lead to more flooding under the railway bridge at Allbrook.

Prospective Tory parliamentary candidate for Eastleigh Conor Burns is backing the campaign. He said: "No amount of sweeteners can disguise the fact that this would represent a significant encroachment onto a greenfield site.

"Once you build on green fields they are lost forever. Our area is one of the most overdeveloped parts of Hampshire and, if the borough council wishes to be taken seriously in its commitment to the environment, then it could not possibly countenance building on so much greenfield land."

Meanwhile, the issue is set to be thrashed out at a public meeting. A date has yet to be fixed but it is likely to be held at Eastleigh's civic offices in February or March.

Chairman of the borough's Eastleigh local area committee Steve Sollitt, said he hoped a public meeting would give all sides the chance to have their say on the controversial plans.

He said: "This application is the most significant one in Allbrook for many years. It has significant implications on the local residents.

"The last thing I want is for development to be built that leads to more problems in the village."