Eastleigh Council leader Keith House is bidding to call a halt on a Hamble housing scheme that has been dubbed "looking like Colditz but without the character."

Major housing developer Barratt Homes has applied to the Borough Council to build 94 houses and flats at the yachting Mecca's Ensign Way.

The plan is made up of mainly three-storey buildings, with the main focus being a five-storey development of flats fronting Hamble Lane.

Mr House said many local residents were "worried sick" by the plans and the "Colditz" comment had come from one villager who likened the frontage of the main building to the Second World War prisoner-of-war camp.

He added: "Ensign Way is industrial land which the council expects to see developed for a mix of employment and housing uses. But at the moment there is no agreed plan showing how this site can be developed.

"Barratt has slapped in a controversial planning application without any meaningful discussion with the council or local people. I do not believe it is right for this prominent area to be handled in this way. "

Now, the council chief is asking the borough's Bursledon, Hamble and Hound local area committee to put the planning application on ice until a development brief for the site has been prepared allowing local community input.

Mr House also said Barratt had submitted a second identical application for the homes "This was a 1980s technique used by builders who wanted to bully local councils into agreeing development. The unstated threat was that if the local planning authority did not quickly agree with their plans then the builder would ask a government planning inspector to intervene.

"I hope that Barratt will have a rethink, withdraw their second plan and work with the council and local people."

But the council leader's comments have surprised Steven Wilks, managing director of Barratt Homes (Southampton).

He said: "We have already had extensive discussions with the planning department at Eastleigh Borough Council.

"Indeed, on the planners' advice, we have actually revised the scheme several times and would be very happy to continue those talks." Commenting on Barratt's policy of submitting dual planning applications Mr Wilks said: "This procedure is custom and practice with major house builders."