Proposals to build a huge new town between Winchester and Hursley have been revealed.
'Royal Down' would see the construction of 5,000 new houses– a number which MP Steve Brine said could be seen as an "April fool".
The plans by Keep Architecture also include a new access road, two primary schools, a secondary school, a park and ride, a health centre and several surrounding solar farms.
Mr Brine said: "On first reading you could well believe this is an April fool but it’s deadly serious and it must be resisted by Winchester City Council. After Barton Farm on one side of Winchester and Pitt Manor right next door to this, there’s only so much our landscape setting can take before it’s no longer there.
"We will not build back greener and protect our environment by concreting over vast swathes of the Hampshire countryside.
“Working alongside senior colleagues in Parliament, local MPs are doing their bit but city councillors need to join us and back sustainable balanced growth in any local plan refresh.”
If Royal Down comes to fruition, it will offer 3,000 MORE houses than the Barton Farm development on Andover Road.
Hampshire County Councillor and Hursley resident Jan Warwick said: "The residents of Hursley, Oliver’s Battery and Compton will be shocked when they understand the scale of this proposal.
"The housing need must be demonstrated, and brownfield regeneration should come ahead of carpeting over green fields. These plans will eclipse our downlands landscape and the historic village of Hursley.
"This document makes claims about removing congestion, but this number of houses will impose thousands of additional traffic movements every day on the traffic queues along Badger Farm Road and Poles Lane.
"I have confidence that our community will pull together and fight these proposals but we will need our city councillors to play their part too."
"Hursley parish councillors were concerned to hear about these plans," said chairman David Killeen.
"The community should have been consulted first and allowed to input on the amount and type of development in our parish.
"We understand how we can best protect our historic heritage and rural landscape whilst permitting some necessary housing.
"We have just completed a parish plan are now preparing a neighbourhood plan for our area."
Pictured; County Councillors, Jan Warwick and Judith Grajewski in Hursley.
More information ...
When the Royal Down document is available it will be linked here