RESIDENTS of a leafy Southampton suburb are blitzing the country's top politicians with letters and e-mails in an attempt to head off a controversial development.

Hundreds of Upper Shirley homeowners are sending letters to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, South East politicians and Southampton City Council in an attempt to stop 12 new homes being built at Taunton's College, in Hill Lane.

Campaigners have also dished out 4,000 leaflets to Southampton residents, e-mailed every councillor in the city, written to all the planning committee members, contacted MP Alan Whitehead and written to Hampshire Euro MP Roy Perry.

The plans have been before City Council planners, but the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister must also give its stamp of approval because the land is officially for educational use.

In a letter to thousands of Southampton residents, vice chairman of the residents' association Anver Jeevanjee said: "This is now a matter of extreme urgency as the application is currently in the in-tray of John Prescott."

In the objection letters, which residents have to sign and post, their top concerns are listed.

They say the land should be for educational or recreational use only, to build on it would deny schools and a sixth form college of vital open space, and more houses would boost the traffic dangers in the area.

Mr Jeevanjee says thousands of people have responded to his call to action - but fears even that may not be enough.

The plans are due to come before city planners for a final time in November or December.

He said: "This may help, but developers are what they are. This has been going on for about 30 years and they will try again.

"We have public support city-wide but the government seems to have decided it wants housing at any cost."