VILLAGERS across the Test Valley are battling to stop unplanned development being built in their communities.

But for residents in Rownhams the fight is over after a Government planning inspector gave a developer the green light to build 320 new homes and a 60-bed care home on one of few green fields left in the community which is constantly under threat from unplanned new housing.

It is one of many applications being submitted by developers in a bid to meet a five-year shortage of house-building land supply in Test Valley.

Currently Test Valley Borough Council doesn’t have an adopted Local Plan which would specify where housing could be built.

Commercial Estates proposals at Parkers Farm in Rownhams were vehemently opposed by villagers and the parish council.

Residents say have been shocked but not surprised by the inspector’s decision.

Tony Seaton who led the campaign said: “We are horrified by the inspector’s decision but not surprised. I think the inspector listened to all the points we made and accepted the weakest mitigation to cover the landscape with housing.”

Plans to build 160 homes at West Wellow are also coming under fire.

Gladman Development wants to build them on land south of Romsey Road in the village but councillors have already expressed concerns.

Hampshire’s leader Roy Perry, who lives in the village, has also spoken out against the planned development.

He said: “I see this as an entirely speculative and totally inappropriate application.”

And North Baddesley residents breathed a sigh of relief this week when Test Valley councillors rejected a scheme to build five homes in countryside on the edge of the village.

Planning officers had urged councillors to approve Perbury Developments scheme because of the shortage of housing building land.

But councillors led by North Baddesley member Celia Dowden ignored their advice and voted against the plans in a bid to protect the green field off Nutburn Road.

It was a close call with seven councillors supporting the refusal motion and six backing Perbury Developments scheme to build the homes off Nutburn Road in the village.

Councillor Celia Dowden who led the charge to block Perbury’s plans at Tuesday’s meeting of the authority’s planning control committee said the proposals “were outside the settlement boundary” of North Baddesley.

“This field is in the countryside and with five substantial houses it will totally alter the character, as reflected in the borough’s landscape officer’s report.

"It would urbanise a rural agricultural field in the countryside and adversely impact the site,” said Mrs Dowden, who was also worried about the planned removal of a mature hedge alongside Nutburn Road which will enable a footway to be built.

Her husband, Alan Dowden, who last week said urgent action was needed to protect important wildlife sites as the nearby Emer Bog, stressed that the application site was within the countryside and it was not a case of infilling as suggested by the developer.

Romsey Extra’s Ian Hibberd and Nursling and Rownhams member Phil Bundy also expressed their concerns about development in the countryside.

And Mr Bundy added: “If it wasn’t for the housing land supply shortage this application would have been recommended for refusal rather than permission.”

Earlier Perbury’s representative Jim Tarzey told the committee meeting that the proposals were in favour of the developer because of the five year housing land supply shortage in the Test Valley and this was echoed by borough planning officers who had recommended the scheme was given the green light.

When it was put to the vote councillors rejected the plans by 7 to 6.

Perbury’s outline scheme was unanimously rejected by the borough’s southern area committee last month but because it was contrary to planning officer’s advice and the planning control committee had the final say.

It’s not known whether Perbury will appeal against the decision. A spokesperson declined to comment after Tuesday’s meeting.

North Baddesley Parish Council is opposed to the proposed scheme because the development is outside the village boundary.

And some residents in the area also expressed concern to planners about the impact the proposals may have on the Nutburn Meadows site of importance for nature conservation area.

There were also worries about possible overlooking on gardens along Botley Road.