A WINCHESTER campaigner has won the support of an action group to move the fight against Barton Farm to the national stage.

Gavin Blackman, chairman of the Save Barton Farm Group, announced last month that he had given up trying to persuade the city council to fight Cala Homes over its scheme for 2,000 homes on farmland north of the city.

Mr Blackman said he feared the group may try to carry on its campaign locally and that would lead him to resign.

He believes an ongoing campaign in Winchester will be a waste of time now that the council has earmarked Barton Farm as a site for 2,000 homes in its planning blueprint until 2026.

However, at a meeting the group has decided to back his new tactic to take the fight against the greenfield development.