Councillors have united in a campaign to stop what they say would be a free for all for housing developers in the Test Valley.

Civic chiefs are very worried that Labour's national plans for a huge increase in housebuilding will undermine the local plan and create a bonanza of speculative development.

The government has told Test Valley Borough Council to plan for 921 homes a year - rather than 524.

The supply of earmarked land would run out within three years, and it is feared this will open the way for developers to promote their schemes and get planning permission via appeals.

Currently developers are promoting schemes for land that is deemed 'countryside' in the local plan including at Halterworth, south of Ganger Farm and Ampfield.

A motion at the full council of Test Valley Borough Council was unanimously supported by Liberal Democrats and Conservative councillors.

It was proposed and seconded by Lib Dem councillors Mark Cooper and John Parker.

Cllr Cooper said the council needs more time to update its local plan to prepare for the additional housing. The current plan which would run to 2040 is a late stage of consultation.

He said: "We are very worried. The problem we have is that Romsey is a very popular area for people to want to live and there is a lot of pressure for additional housing.

"What we are trying to do is retain control of housing allocation sites by democratically-elected councillors and planning officers and not leave it to developers to come pouring in making speculative planning applications which may get granted by the Planning Inspectorate on appeal."

Conservative member Nick Adams-King, a borough councillor and also leader of Hampshire County Council, agreed: "This motion was vital, and I desperately hope the Government will listen to the concerns raised within it.  Unless the Government agrees a reasonable transition to their proposed new housing targets Test Valley, along with all other Hampshire districts, will be left exposed to speculative applications from developers.

"As a consequence not only will we fail to provide the housing we need, but also the infrastructure that’s vital if population growth is to be supported.”

In the last 20 years around 1,500 homes have been built north east of Romsey around Abbotswood and Cupernham Lane.