A SENIOR Winchester councillor has attacked planners for ignoring villagers and insisting on an allegedly over-dense development.

Developers want to build homes on Sutton Park, a former mobile home site in Sutton Scotney, north of the city.

Villagers welcome the development but are concerned at the density and the planners' insistence that half the homes should be "affordable."

Councillor Barry Lipscomb, Conservative leader on the city council, said: "Sutton Scotney has seen a great deal of development in recent years, a good deal of it in the 'affordable' category, including three such developments.

"We are now faced with our officers insisting that the development on the defunct and now unsightly mobile home park at Sutton Park should have 50 per cent 'affordable' homes.

"Wonston Parish Council and local city councillors have all accepted the principle of this development but have urged for many months that it should not be of excessive density or have too high a proportion of affordable homes. There is already plentiful provision in the village.

"I have striven to represent the parish's view to our officers but they have resolutely set their sights on this 50 per cent figure which no one, including the developer, wants."

The city council argues that such brownfield redevelopment is a major way to avoid having to build on greenfield sites such as Barton Farm. The provision of affordable housing is a council priority.