A PLANNED protest over the 5,000-home Royaldown scheme will be held online due to the national lockdown.

Members of the Save South Winchester campaign had originally planned to hold a socially distanced march around the site perimeter on January 24.

The aim was to plant 100 wild roses (the Hampshire rose) close to the site entrance near Down Farm off Port Lane, within walking distance of Compton Down, Oliver’s Battery and Hursley.

Now, the event will be held virtually between noon and 1pm on the given date.

Further details are yet to be released by campaign leaders Cllr David Killeen, chairman of Hursley Parish Council, and county councillor Jan Warwick.

A link to the online protest is expected to be posted in the Save South Winchester Facebook page soon.

Royaldown is the scheme to build 5,000 homes between Winchester and Hursley.

If it comes to fruition, it will offer 3,000 more homes than the Barton Farm development on Andover Road.

The plans include a new access road, two primary schools, a secondary school, a park and ride, a health centre and several surrounding solar farms.

Local residents and councillors are working together to stop the scheme altogether.