TOWN councillors accused of disrespecting residents over a controversial housing scheme have pledged to release details of private meetings held with its developer, fearing they look "unbelievably dodgy".

Alresford Town Council chairman Lisa Griffiths came under fire for attending a briefing last month with Seaward Properties, the firm behind the contentious Sun Lane project, without other councillors knowing she was representing them.

No decisions or recommendations were agreed there, but councillors took public action this week amid confusion over the way such meetings should be handled.

Cllr Ernie Jeffs was also criticised for attending the August briefing as both a town and Winchester city councillor.

Councillors sparked public outcry last year by supporting plans for the bulk of the town's required new homes to be built on one field off Sun Lane. An alternative vision spreading the hundreds of houses throughout Alresford has been backed by many residents.

In a tirade at a council meeting on Tuesday, Sun Lane critic Janet Barker, of Windermere Avenue, said: "The lack of respect and propriety shown at the annual town meeting and also in council meetings - for example, residents and other councillors being called the 'militant tendency' - is ridiculous and simply not acceptable.

"This plan to develop a junction, all the houses and an industrial estate on one field will cause noise, dust and lorries for residents of Nursery Road, the schools, Sun Hill and Tichborne Down for years on end."

Cllr Barbara Jeffs said meetings with developers not disclosed to residents or other councillors were "unbelievably dodgy".

She added: "It is totally improper for anyone to speak to any developer if there is a risk of an outcome without a clerk being present, and it must be on these premises."

It is unclear how many private meetings have been held.

Cllr Keith Barrett said uncertainty over the way talks are handled showed councillors' "desperate need" for training and proved they were "failing the town".

He said: "Some residents will obviously question whether there is a bias in our decision making here. What's going behind closed doors, how many other private meetings have there been that they're not aware of?"

The council agreed to publish notes of all meetings with developers over the past year, with all future talks publicised in advance and minuted by the town clerk.

The Sun Lane scheme will be discussed at Winchester City Council's Local Plan Committee on October 6 ahead of the district-wide project going to full council on October 21.