Winchester people will have a greater say over increasingly controversial planning issues.

The city council will use private consultants to help produce blueprints for sites being targeted by developers.

Its cabinet released £55,000 for the scheme which it hopes will allow it greater control over development.

There is growing controversy in Winchester over planning - with campaigners fighting plans for huge new estates as well as "infill" in roads like Chilbolton Avenue.

The council is unhappy with the present situation, where most sites are only discussed when a developer submits a proposal.

Cllr Georgina Busher, who chairs the planning committee, urged: "We have got to get control of the planning process."

The council wants to speak to construction firms beforehand, and involve residents and parish councils.

Robin Cooper, director of development services, said: "We are trying to listen to local communities. There will have to be development, but we are trying to ensure that it's acceptable."

The council is keen to avoid a repeat of the current situation in Chilbolton Avenue where several developers are trying to build independently of each other. Steve Opacic, director of forward planning, argued that the new approach would solve the problem. "It's there to defend against piecemeal applications."

The consultants will help produce design statements, compiled with residents and setting out what kinds of change would be welcome in their neighbourhood.

Such statements are proposed for Chilbolton Avenue, Sleepers Hill and Quarry Road in Winchester, Rareridge Lane in Bishop's Waltham and Grange Road in Alresford, the Springvale area of Kings Worthy and Compton Down near Winchester.

Cllr Patrick Davies argued that it was too late to draw up a strategy for Chilbolton Avenue, as so many schemes had already been approved.

Cllr George Hollingbery questioned if £55,000 would be enough. "There's a limited number of design statements that can be drawn up, as there is a limited amount of money."