CIVIC chiefs are putting the development of hundreds of new homes in Eastleigh on ice until Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott makes a decision on the future of plots that allotment holders are battling to save.

As reported by the Daily Echo, Mr Prescott has ordered a public inquiry into controversial plans by the council to sell off part of a proposed development site used for allotments.

Last October, Eastleigh gave itself outline planning permission to build 430 homes on a 13.5-hectare site south of Monks Way and South Street in Eastleigh. But after looking at the case, the Deputy Prime Minister ruled that Eastleigh can have the final say over its planning permission for homes - although he wants an inquiry into whether civic bosses are within their rights to dispose of allotment plots.

Mr Prescott's decision means that the council could press ahead with plans to build a large proportion of the homes which they say are desperately needed.

But council leader Keith House told the Daily Echo that the authority intended to wait for the outcome of the inquiry into the allotment land.

He said: "The government has decided not to oppose the planning application for the homes and this means we could now go ahead and issue planning permission for housing on the majority of the site as most of it is not in use for allotments."

But he added: "This would lengthen the time it takes to build the whole development and cause inconvenience to local residents. So in the interests of local people in the south of the town we will delay the complete project until the inquiry has reported and a comprehensive development is possible. We will continue with preparatory work for the housing, much of which will be rented housing and reduced-price key worker housing for local people in housing need."