HOSTILE residents attended an exhibition showing hundreds of homes that many of them had spent months fighting.

At least 170 people visited the consultation about plans to develop land at Boorley Green, near Botley with 1,400 homes.

The controversial plans were the subject of a year-long legal battle by campaigners, despite planning permission being given nearly two years ago.

Now detailed proposals for the first 450 homes on land off Winchester Road, mainly the hotel golf course at present, have been put before the public.

But many of the residents at the exhibition at the Botley Park Hotel were still struggling to accept that the plans were going ahead and vented their frustrations, intensely questioning developers’ representatives on the overall scheme. The developers, Bloor Homes, Bovis Homes and Linden Homes, aim to submit a planning application at the end of the summer.

Developers say there are three phases to the 10-year project, with construction planned to start early next year.

and the project finished in 10 years.

Outline planning, granted by Eastleigh Borough Council despite a mass protest through the streets of Botley, includes a care home, pub, primary school, multi-use games area and community hall.

As previously reported, residents under the Botley Parish Action Group (BPAG) took their battle to get the council’s decision overturned all the way to the High Court.

However, the case was thrown out at judicial review.

This further planning application looks at the details, like style of houses, green spaces and play equipment.

Residents raised concerns about traffic infrastructure, sewage, flooding, access to the site and their roads becoming rat runs as a result.

Developers are holding a consultation on the first phase until July 24.