Campaigners have expressed concern over future housing decisions in Hampshire following a controversial plan to build almost 700 new homes being given the go-ahead by a government minister this week.

Action Against Destructive Development Eastleigh (ADD) delivered a planning consultant's report to Eastleigh Borough Council ahead of its full cabinet meeting on December 15, where policy makers will discuss the local plan for the area.

The ADD's report outlined the group's opposition to development in the area north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak, which would see more than 6,000 houses and a new major road being built.

ADD's preferred options would instead see homes built near Allington Lane.

The group's report follows a controversial plan to build more than 700 homes in the area being given the green light by a government minister this week.

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid overruled Eastleigh Borough Council to give the go ahead for developers Gleeson Homes, Miller Homes and Welbeck to build 680 homes at Borley Green near Botley.

The decision was made after it was decided that the council did not have an up-to-date local plan or a five-year housing land supply.

Eastleigh Borough Council's Local Plan 2011-2036 is currently still being developed after its last effort was thrown out by a government inspector in 2014. 

ADD’s covering letter to the council emphasised the “momentous” nature of the decision and urged the councillors to recognise their report’s conclusion that options D and E “are overwhelmingly the best suited to meet Eastleigh’s housing needs from a practical, environmental and traffic perspective”.

In the letter, ADD spokeperson Deborah Mitchell said: "It is a source of great concern to a lot of people that the options for meeting the demand for new housing in Eastleigh are being driven by developers who would not have to live with the consequences of their actions. 

"With this in mind, Action against Destructive Development (ADD) commissioned a report from planning consultants West Waddy.

"Their brief was to look at the options objectively through the prism of nationally recognised planning best practice and environmental guidelines, as well as Eastleigh Borough Council’s own research and publicly stated objectives.

"Their conclusion is that Options D and E are overwhelmingly the best suited to meet Eastleigh’s housing needs from a practical, environmental and traffic perspective. 

"Furthermore, the North Bishopstoke link road (or bypass) is not required to relieve congestion on Bishopstoke Road, and Options D and E can be delivered without causing coalescence or the need to build the Chickenhall Lane Link Road. 

"Whilst of course we do not claim that this report provides all the detailed answers, we nonetheless appeal to the council to engage in constructive dialogue before ruling out these options."