WORRIED residents spoke of their fears of a housing explosion in the region at a public meeting in Winchester on Wednesday.

More than 100 people were at the Guildhall to discuss the 20-year-plan drafted by Government body, Seera, the South East England Regional Assembly.

One of their main concerns was the level of housing that Seera says is necessary for the region.

One part of the plan -- PUSH (The Partnership for Urban South Hampshire) -- suggests that growth areas around Southampton and Portsmouth could be targeted for development with up to 80,000 homes by 2026.

That would still leave between 14,000 and 32,000 homes required in an area called the "rest of Hampshire", which includes Winchester.

But an angry audience said it feared the level of growth would put unsustainable pressure on the city and surrounding areas.

Simon Eden, the city council's chief executive, said the Government had set some parameters on growth, but the real emphasis had been placed on creating sustainable communities.

He said market demands for housing in both rural and urban areas in the Winchester district were very strong, and described it as a "honeypot for developers". He added that building was inevitable because development had not kept up with levels seen elsewhere in the country.

"The Government is saying we have a lot of catching up to do," Mr Eden said.

"They think we haven't built as many houses as we should have done, and this is reflected in Seera."

The city council submits its draft plan views to Seera on Friday, April 15, after a final meeting on Wednesday, April 13.

Residents have until April 15 to complete the assembly's questionnaires about the region's shaping.