20,000 new homes could be built across Hampshire

That is double the number council bosses originally forecast.

It has been met with dismay by both residents and councillors, who raised concerns about traffic chaos, overwhelmed services and that development on that scale could see Southampton and Eastleigh merge.

Eastleigh Borough Council has put forward options as it draws up a new Local Plan – a blueprint for future housing in the borough for the next two decades - after the previous one was rejected by an inspector.

The plan, which has already taken more than four years, now covers a further seven year period and the top estimate being considered for future homes is 20,750.

The key question is where will these homes will go.

As previously reported, the council’s controversial Eastleigh Local Plan 2011-2029, proposing 10,140 homes, was examined by a Government inspector late last year, but swiftly rejected amid his call for more homes.

Sent back to the drawing board, council leader Cllr Keith House warned then that this could mean a thousand more homes would be needed over the life of the plan.

The new Local Plan stretches from 2011 to 2036 and includes land for employment and travelling communities.

As previously reported, a number of sites earmarked for housing had proved controversial in the abandoned local plan.

Both plans for 1,400 homes at Boorley Green near Botley and 1,100 homes at Stoneham Park in Eastleigh provoked strong opposition from residents, with a protest on the streets of Botley by campaigners who took their fight all the way to the high court.

They have both now been given the go ahead.

But further greenfield sites now look likely to come under scrutiny with the council considering a number of new developments, including at Allington Lane, between West End and Fair Oak - an area previously rejected by the public in favour of building at Boorley Green.

This proposal would extend West End to the north of the M27 just south of Itchen Valley Country Park in some of the same area where the council had once proposed building 1,400 homes as part of a wider development.

It could now provide 2,250 homes.

The council is also looking at developing Bishopstoke to the south and Horton Heath to the west to provide 2,300 homes.

Another option is expanding Fair Oak and Bishopstoke to the north and north-east and development in Allbrook, which could provide 3,700 homes, or Fair Oak to the east and north to provide 2,500 homes.

A further option is to extend Hedge End to the north-east and Botley to the north, creating 1,300 homes and bringing about the Botley Bypass.

The council is considering redevelopment of Eastleigh Riverside – land north of Southampton Airport including the former railway works - providing 200 homes as well as employment land.

This would include the much talked of Chickenhall Link Road, a direct link from the area to the M27.

Finally, a possible 600 homes could go on Hamble Airfield, a controversial site included in the county council's gravel extraction plans.

Eastleigh Borough Council says it has not decided which options it prefers.

Concern has been raised that without a current Local Plan the borough is vulnerable to hostile planning applications that it could struggle to prevent.

Cllr House said the council needed to meet the demands of the population, provide infrastructure, preserve gaps between communities and plan for housing growth under national planning policy. He added that extending the plan increased the number of homes but “gives us greater opportunity to tackle issues such as congestion”.

Leader of the opposition Conservative Cllr Godfrey Olson said he was concerned that such high numbers were even being talked of and that even the lowest figure seemed "more than adequate".

He said the borough could be left with very few green spaces, narrowing the gap between Eastleigh and Southampton, increased flooding risk due to overdevelopment and further pressure on services and roads.

Although some traffic measures could come forward, he said they were to get to already congested motorways.

“If you increase the population by what the plan is suggesting particularly the top number what chaos will we then have,” he said.

A consultation document has been approved by cabinet and will go out to the public if approved at full council tomorrow.