DEVELOPERS have begun their fight to build a massive 275 homes together with a school and community centre at Causeway Farm in Petersfield.
Phillips Build was refused permission for the controversial plan by East Hampshire district councillors at a special meeting in May.
Members of the south planning committee decided to refuse the application on 19 separate grounds.
They said the plans were premature in relation to the second review of the local plan, both because it was only at its draft stage and because the site was included in the local plan as only a potential reserve housing site.
Members, who voted unanimously to throw out the proposal, said the outcome of the development plan would be severely prejudiced if the 275 houses were given the go-ahead.
Now the developer is appealing to the secretary of state for the environment to overturn the councilÕs decision. The appeal will be heard at a public inquiry in front of a government inspector later this year, on a date still to be set.
Because the planning application relates to a large residential development of more than 150 houses the inspector, instead of making the decision, will make a report for the secretary of state, who will determine the appeal himself.
Meanwhile officers at the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) are still assessing whether the application from Bryant Homes for 276 homes on Ramshill should be Òcalled inÓ to be decided by the secretary of state.
East Hampshire district councillors voted in May to grant the developers outline planning permission.