THE people of Highcliffe in Winchester say they feel lied to and cheated over the issue of supported housing on the estate.

The comments came at last night's meeting between local residents and developers employed by Winchester City Council to find room for more houses in the area.

London based firm John Thompson and Partners Ltd were appointed by the council in 2002 to identify sites in Stanmore where affordable homes could be built.

However, earlier this year it was revealed some of the sites identified by the company were now being considered by the council as places where supported housing for groups such as single mothers, ex-offenders, former drug addicts and youngsters leaving care could be housed.

At the meeting, intended to be a "final consultation" by the developers to discuss their plans for new homes on the estate, residents spoke of their anger at the lack of consultation between them and the council over the issue.

They claimed hardly anyone had been told about the meeting and they had only found out about it in the Daily Echo on Monday.

The plans on display last night showed two sites identified as suitable for new houses, both currently occupied by garages on Fivefields Road and Gordon Avenue - with the supported housing unit on Fivefields Road.

Three further sites, the Serco depot and two plots where existing properties would be knocked down to make way for the development, were also put forward.

Now 350 people have signed a petition against the plans, organised by Fivefield Road resident Les McLachlan.

Another angry resident, Kevin Whale, 48, said: "A couple of years ago we had drug problems and a paedophile problem in Highcliffe, but we got rid of all that and now the council want to move these people back. The council just don't seem to listen to us."