Angry residents staged a protest at Salters Lane, Winchester, on Monday to voice their concern that 100 new homes would destroy the city's rural suburbs,

They joined a working party of city planning chiefs as they visited two sites earmarked for development.

Plans to turn the former Wyke Mark old people's home into 33 apartments have already been given the go-ahead by planning chiefs and residents are now objecting to a further application to build 51 homes on adjoining land.

Plans for another 18 dwellings, submitted by Linden Homes, would bring the total number of new houses to over 100.

People living in the area fear the single-track leafy lanes on the outskirts of the city will be overwhelmed by traffic.

Salters Lane resident and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport, Kerry Moore, said: "I estimate there could be 700 additional vehicle movements in and out of this area every day, all having to cross Stockbridge Road.

"That's because there are no schools, doctors, dentists, shops, or any kind of infra structure in the area. It would be dangerous in the extreme."

Action group secretary, John Ambrose, said: "I am concerned about height; I am concerned about traffic flow and I am concerned about the planning process. The really high level of local concern is only now being fully recognised."

The protesters insist they are not being "nimbys".

"There are really good things about this and we are trying very hard indeed to get the best answer," said Mr Ambrose.

"We recognise the policy of infilling as being sensible and we are not fighting for the sake of it."

"We are talking to the architect and, given goodwill, can probably get a good answer, if the planners will accept it.

"We have also put in what we think is a positive proposal to use the Salters Drive access and so save Salters Lane from the effects of this development."

Residentsbranded the working party meeting "a shambles", claiming they couldn't hear some of the all-important details when council officers explained the plans.

Chairman of the City of Winchester Trust, Roger Backhouse, said he was "horrified" and he also described the working party as "shambolic."

Trust development control committee chairman, Shione Carden, agreed: "This is useless," she said.

"The developers are due to make a lot of money; they should have been forced to peg out the site and mark the trees which are due to go."