OAKLEY residents got their chance to speak about the controversial Manydown development - and delivered a resounding "no" to the plans.

Around 60 people attended a consultation meeting at Oakley Junior School on Thursday to hear about Basingstoke council's proposals for the site and suggest how they would like to see it developed.

The villagers' response mirrored that of the Winklebury meeting the previous night, with residents voicing strong feelings and 300 people there voting for no development.

Barry Ward, of St John's Road, Oakley, said: "It seems to me that to talk about a project not yet agreed is extremely contentious and to talk about the infrastructure is wasting our time."

Oakley borough councillor Cecilia Morrison hammered home her message during the meeting, held by market research company mruk.

She said: "The only message we would like you to take back to the borough council is 'No development west of Basingstoke'."

Another borough councillor for Oakley, Paul Findlow, stressed the villagers were "not going to be fooled".

He said people in the area were very concerned about the development and that he was 100 per cent opposed to it.

"We want to protect the countryside and the village - that is why people want to live here," he added.

Basingstoke council has just launched a nine-month consultation exercise on the future of the 2,000-acre Manydown site. The land - owned jointly by Basingstoke borough and Hampshire County councils - is said to be capable of accommodating a countryside park plus 3,000 houses.

In the council's draft plan for 2002 to 2011, Manydown is not marked down for any house-building but is listed as a possible future major development area.

A Basingstoke council spokeswoman said: "The council has been keen to point out that this is not about whether Manydown should be developed or not.

"There is no hidden agenda. It is merely a means to establish what type of facilities might be required or desired in the area, and whether any of these facilities could be provided as part of any Manydown development area.

"There will be an opportunity to engage with the council and officers on the more fundamental issues of the development of Manydown through the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan Review process."