TWO councillors fear residents opposed to house-building in a Basingstoke neighbourhood will be ignored.

Norden ward councillors Paul Harvey and Laura James claim Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Cabinet member for property and finance, Cllr James Lewin, has told them the former South View allotments beside Lyford Green would be used for a mix of housing and a park.

The results, seen by The Gazette, of a consultation with residents show little enthusiasm for housing on the site.

Nearly 400 people responded to the questionnaire and 52 per cent either agreed or strongly agreed the allotments should be left as they are.

A proposal to turn the land into a park was even more popular, with 67 per cent agreeing or strongly agreeing.

But house-building was roundly rejected, with 78 per cent disagreeing or strongly disagreeing with a mix of houses and 68 per cent opposing a mix of houses and a park.

Cllr Harvey said: “What was the point of the consultation if they are not going to listen to what the residents were going to say?”

Cllr Lewin said residents had responded “as expected” and while most of them wanted the allotments left as they were or turned into a park, they were not all “massively opposed to houses”.

Denying that any decision has been made, he added: “The residents’ views are being, and will be, fully reflected in the final decision.”

The council also asked residents what it should do with Vyne Meadow Car Park. Nearly nine out of 10 respondents said they wanted it to remain a car park and opposed house-building.

Cllr Lewin said no decision had been made about this either, but the Norden councillors said they have been told the plan is to leave it as it is for now.