Nearly 100 residents gathered at the Wickham Institute in Binsted last week as the A31 Alliance shared its views on emerging local plan proposals from East Hampshire District Council.

Residents met to discuss what campaigners describe as the threat of plans to build up to 20,000 homes along the A31 corridor as the council prepares its next Local Plan.

Sir Charles Cockburn and Bruce Powell have been visiting parishes to inform residents about the council’s proposals and the locations being considered for housing to meet government targets.

The alliance said the council faces significant constraints. Government housing targets for the district have doubled, while a large proportion of East Hampshire lies within the South Downs National Park, limiting where development can take place.

As a result, campaigners say only a small number of areas in the north and south of the district remain available for large-scale development.

Binsted currently has about 1,800 residents and around 760 homes. Under proposals outlined by campaigners, more than 2,000 new homes could be built in the parish.

The A31 Alliance said the increase would significantly change the rural community.

Campaigners also argued the process has been undemocratic because the government increased housing targets after the council’s Regulation 18 consultation had already taken place.

A Regulation 18 consultation is the first formal stage in preparing a Local Plan. It invites feedback from residents, stakeholders and statutory bodies on potential development sites, policies and planning priorities.

Sir Charles Cockburn said: “EHDC created and signed a constitution with consultation at the heart of its principles. We want them to run Regulation 18 again after the Government changed the housing targets.”

The alliance also questioned the government’s housing target methodology, which is partly based on affordability.

Campaigners said the average price of existing homes in the district is around £430,000, while new-build properties typically sell for about £530,000.

They argued that building more higher-priced homes would not solve local affordability issues.

The proposals would also significantly increase Binsted’s population and could lead to the development of a new centre for the parish at Neatham as the community grows.

Angela McCloud, owner of the Kiln Equestrian Centre, said: “Why is this area being destroyed? I was brought up in rural life and have had a big influence in spreading that through the equestrian centre in the local area.

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“This is about more than money, it is about a way of life and I want to protect it.”