In a bid to block plans for 1,600 homes on the outskirts of the town, Romsey MP, Sandra Gidley, has urged the Prime Minister to change planning policy concerning building on agricultural land.

At Prime Minister’s Question Time on Wednesday, Mrs Gidley raised the matter of proposed development of farmland at Whitenap, part of Test Valley Borough Council’s Core Strategy.

She asked: “Does the Prime Minister agree with me that it is wrong to build on Grade 2 agricultural land, and if so will he change planning policy to prevent waste of this precious resource, and also prevent Conservative-controlled Test Valley Borough Council, whose plan has been disgraced, from building on fertile green fields?”

Mr Browne replied: “I have to say that she will have to write to me about the individual incidences in her council, but I think that the record of this government is that we wish to build on brownfield land, not greenfield land”

Test Valley Borough Council earmarked Whitenap for development in their efforts to meet the Labour government’s long-term housing targets for the South-East.

Also included in the strategy are proposals for 800 homes to the north-east of Romsey at Abbottwood and 400 homes at Hoe Lane, North Baddesley.

The Core Strategy suffered a setback when it was described as “unsound” by government planning inspector, Jill Kingaby. While not contesting the number of homes in the plan, Ms Kingaby claimed that it needed to be more specific about the implications for town centres, employment and transport.

The council is currently redrafting the document.

Following the Commons exchange, Mrs Gidley commented: “I will be writing to the Prime Minister immediately to outline how our countryside is under threat from a council which may know the price of houses, but doesn’t appreciate the value of prime farmland.

“Opposition to this development from local people is clear. High-quality agricultural land really is precious and to build on it would be nothing short of environmental vandalism.”

“The proposed development would also tip Romsey’s population to over 20,000, which is prohibited by the government’s own South-East Plan.

“I look forward to the response from the Prime Minister, and hope that we can stop inappropriate developments before we lose our ability to grow our food for the future.”

Designs for the 1,600- home development at Whitenap, on land owned by the Ashfield Estate, have been drawn by by the Princes Foundation for the Built Environment, the design body responsible for the the Prince of Wales model village, Poundbury.