PLANS for a huge development between Winchester and Hursley appear to have been dropped.

The Royaldown scheme for farmland south-west of Winchester had been included on Winchester City Council’s SHELAA (Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment) - a wishlist for developers.

It sparked a huge cross-party campaign of local people when the plans for 5,000 homes on land owned by farmer Nick Russell was revealed late last year.

READ MORE HERE: plans for 5,000 new homes revealed

Some of the land in the proposed development is owned by Hampshire County Council. After coming under pressure the council said it did not support Royaldown.

The new SHELAA is due to be discussed at the Local Plan Advisory Group tomorrow Monday September 27 at 6pm. Much of the land in the Royaldown scheme has been withdrawn – including the land owned by Hampshire County Council.

Tonight the Liberal Democrats welcomed the news that the Royaldown development has been withdrawn from the SHELAA.

Cllr Brian Laming, Lib Dem councillor for Badger Farm and Oliver’s Battery, who will be making a deputation at the meeting, said: “The big news is that, after all the pressure from local residents and councillors, the Royaldown development has come out of the SHELAA. The writing was on the wall once we got Hampshire County Council to confirm they didn’t support it. It never made any sense and now it can’t be in the local plan for Winchester."

Cllr Laming added: "We do still need reassurance that the plan development process will protect against some of the other unsuitable proposed developments – such as the plan to build on the South Winchester golf course and other sites around Oliver’s Battery. I’ll be asking about this at the meeting.”

As reported in the Chronicle, the scheme has been called 'Royaldown Garden Village' and would see the 5,000 homes, a new access road linking to Badger Farm Road across county council land, two primary schools, a secondary school, health centre, park and ride, solar farms and land for employment.

Winchester City Council says there is no need for Royaldown as it has enough land earmarked for housing to comply with its statutory requirements.

READ MORE HERE: Hundreds at virtual protest over Royaldown

David Killeen, chairman of Hursley Parisgh Council, said today: "There remains five sites next to the village of Hursley and Oliver's Battery which may still give rise to hundreds of unwanted and unnecessary houses on the edge of Hursley village. So this remains a major issue for Hursley.

"Hursley welcomes a small amount of development but not on this newly proposed scale. The Hursley neighbourhood plan is in development and it will reflect this."