THE public have spoken in an epic quest to decide where 700 homes should be built in Petersfield over the next 15 years. A key member of the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan team has hinted that land to the north and south of the town could be earmarked for housing. But it looks like the cherished open space of Penns Place will be spared from the diggers if the "all-encompassing masterplan" fulfils its potential. The announcement by Jamie Matthews comes six months after hundreds of people attended an options development weekend at the Festival Hall. The majority of people who attended the October event backed an option to build between 500 and 700 homes on the town's northern and southern fringes. The other alternatives were a "spread-and-edge option" for 400 to 700 homes around the perimeter of the town or 680 to 700 to the north and east. For full story, see this week's Petersfield Herald.