EAST Hampshire planners have found sites for more than 1,000 homes in their special study of housing areas in towns, which may take pressure off greenfield sites in Petersfield and throughout the district.

Although Alton town will face the most changes, with sites for 264 homes identified, planners also found room for 33 in Petersfield, 127 in Clanfield, 23 in Liss, 15 in Stroud and 45 in Liphook.

EHDC's policy planners unveiled the results of their long-awaited urban capacity study to members of the development panel last week.

The study was carried out to try to save as many green fields as possible from imminent development in the next local plan.

Planners looked at existing housing allocations to see if numbers could be increased in line with government guidelines to increase the density to between 30 and 50 houses per hectare where appropriate.

They also looked at residential infilling, redevelopment and conversion opportunities, and any shops where homes could be made above them.

Planners examined the use of existing homes which were currently empty and the possibility of redeveloping existing houses and car parks. They also looked at any opportunities to convert non-residential buildings.

Before the urban capacity study, planners had earmarked Petersfield for 430 homes on two major sites – at the controversial town-council owned Pennsfield site and on The Causeway.

In the latest draft of the local plan, unveiled with the urban capacity study last week, they recommended that The Causeway site should be removed to a reserve list which carries sites for another 1,500 homes if they are needed.

The only major housing development on the "baseline" list in Petersfield is Pennsfield, where planners are recommending 80 homes should be built on a three-acre site.

Councillors last week said they wanted to see the massive Causeway site phased when it came forward for development. The first phase would see the building of 175 homes and the second would see a further 100 homes built.

But councillors have not agreed an order of priority for the reserve sites to be developed.

After the meeting, Teresa Jamieson, leader of the Liberal Democrats and one of Petersfield's district councillors, told The Herald: "Although I am disappointed that The Causeway is still on the list for development. it is half way down the reserved list.

"I managed to get the committee to agree to phase the site in two phases so at least one half of the development will be even further down the list.

"The site is now much smaller and the majority of the fields are going to remain as countryside.

"Originally the site boundary followed the contour of the river. It has been cut back down so there is much less of a development site.

"The good news is that half the site in effect still remains in the countryside."