PROTESTERS will take their case to Downing Street if plans to build on Barton Farm are given the green light later this month.

The threat came as developer Cala Homes announced two public consultations on its plans to build 2,000 homes north of Winchester.

The timing of the exhibitions is significant — the first one on April 23 is just 24 hours after councillors are expected to approve a planning framework that will envisage building on farmland off Andover Road.

Gavin Blackman, chairman of the Save Barton Farm Group, said: “It just shows Cala are very, very confident that were they to put in a planning application after April 22 it would succeed.

“I can’t accuse Cala Homes of being arrogant. They are doing what any developer would do. They’re sensing from what they’re hearing from the council that they will get planning permission.

“The timing is obviously slightly provocative, and they obviously know what they are doing. They want to get things rolling as soon as possible.

“It does not surprise us, but we hope it makes people aware of our concerns about what Cala Homes are up to is not fanciful, it’s actually going to happen.

“They are not waiting five or 10 years — they are doing it now.”

He ruled out protesting outside the developer’s exhibitions — which are being held at St Barnabas Church, Weeke, on April 23, and The Guildhall on April 25 — calling them a “redundant exercise”.

But if the district’s planning framework is approved on April 22, it will prompt protesters to take a 5,000-plus petition to Whitehall.

Mr Blackman also encouraged householders to lobby their councillors, many of whom he accused of hiding away from declaring an opinion on Barton Farm.

He said: “What I don’t understand and don’t respect is councillors hiding behind a cloak of responsibility, pretending they’re looking after Winchester, when really, they’re not.

“The reason they don’t say is because they know they’ll lose votes.”

But city council leader Cllr George Beckett said that if councillors made a public statement on Barton Farm, it would bar them from voting on any future planning application.

Cllr Beckett argued there was little significance to the exhibition dates because the planning framework to be agreed on April 22 would not come into force for two years.

He added: “In the event of Cala Homes making an application that’s going to be successful, they are going to have to come up with a scheme of significant quality and benefit to Winchester.”

“These public exhibitions are part of a pre-application public consultation programme,” said Mike Emett, Cala Homes’ strategic land director.

“We are not displaying any firm plans for Barton Farm at the exhibitions, but we are asking for the public’s views on the form development should take if planning permission is granted.

“Winchester City Council is due to ratify its draft policy on allocating the Barton Farm site for housing development on April 22.

“However, our exhibition is one of a number of stages in a consultation process taking place over several months before a planning application is submitted.”