RESIDENTS who won a reprieve for their street from development plans are now preparing for a fresh battle.

Just three weeks ago campaigners in the Cranleigh Road area of Portchester were celebrating after Fareham planning officers threw out an application for more than 200 new homes in their community.

But now Gudgeon Developments have lodged an appeal over the outline planning application.

Last month 400 objections were lodged in a protest to protect what residents claim is the only green oasis left in the area - now campaigners plan to save the land again.

Stella Bell, 70, of Cornaway Lane, said: "I think it's just going to go on and on. But there is hope - we are not going to give up."

Gudgeon wants to build 230 new dwellings on a vacant field at the back of Cranleigh Road and give over half of them to affordable housing.

But planning officers agreed with residents' concerns about traffic congestion, dangerous roads, visual impact and harm to wildlife, had not been properly addressed in the plans.

Now that an appeal has been lodged, residents have until May 19 to submit any new objections to an inspector who will consider the appeal on behalf of the Secretary of State.

Glyn Wadey, planning secretary for Portchester Society, who lives in Shearwater Avenue, said he felt that the fact planning officers had thrown out the application twice bode well for the appeal.

"The developers must feel they have a chance as the appeal process is very costly but in view of the fact the evidence the community has provided resulted in its refusal twice I don't see how they can win," he said.

"If any fresh evidence that can help our case crops up we will most definitely submit it to the appeal inspector."

Graham Bell, of Bell Cornwell town planners, who are assisting the firm's application, said: "We were not surprised to hear the secretary of state would be dealing with this. We are appealing the outline application to see whether the development would be approved in principle. Specific details are largely irrelevant."