Villagers launch fight to save idyllic countryside that 'inspired' Jane Austen from turning into 1,250-home 'red brick jungle'

Villagers have launched a fight to save an area of idyllic countryside that 'inspired' Jane Austen from turning into 1,250-home 'red brick jungle'.

Earlier this year East Hampshire District Council announced a new 'local plan' which included a proposed development on 240 acres of land at Neatham Manor Farm in Alton - just five miles from Austen's home in Chawton.

The proposed development on the green belt land where the Pride and Prejudice novelist regularly 'walked the fields' would see a 'new neighbourhood' built.

But locals living near the site have branded the plans as 'immoral' for destroying the 'completely unspoilt farmland' and 'concreting over' the historic area, as so far 1,278 locals have objected.

Abigail Hills, 42, and her husband Gary, 51, set up the Save Neatham Down campaign following the announcement, which would see 'a mix of housing sizes, types and tenures' built on the land. 

They argue that this is 'not a good advert for Jane Austen's town' and is a 'violation' of a 'beautiful stretch of countryside'.

Writing on the public website, the organisers said: 'East Hampshire District Council are proposing to build up to 1250 houses at Neatham Down, just outside of Alton. This area is a huge tract, 240 acres, of completely unspoilt farmland.

'It is an incredibly beautiful area, with rich biodiversity and much wildlife.'

The couple live on the edge of the proposed development site and Mrs Hills said: 'We first found out at the tail end of January, beginning of February.

'The consultation part of the planning was issued on the 22nd of December and obviously being Christmas time, we didn't see any notifications on it.

'When they told us, we saw the scale of the development and the loss of green fields.'

The Neatham resident - who works in construction - said she believes the developers 'strategically' applied for permission during this busy period so it would go unnoticed.

She continued: 'For us, one of the big things was the loss of wildlife on the downs.

'The destruction of that level of green space seems quite frankly immoral. Jane Austen lived in Chawton but she would have walked the fields.'

According to Ms Hills, Austen is believed to have stayed in a cottage in Neatham - which dates back to Roman times - at some point.

The development has seen a 'public outcry' from angry locals who want to save the 'completely unspoilt farmland'.

Ms Hills said the area has 'not got the infrastructure to cope with this number of houses'.

She said: 'The schools are full to capacity and there are no plans to put additional schools in the area.

'The loss of the green space will also result in is not having the dark night sky. We don't want the houses, it's not appropriate for the downs.'

The campaigners said 'urgent action is needed' to prevent the development from going ahead.

One objector wrote on the East Hampshire District Council's planning page: 'I strongly oppose this development, which would rip up beautiful countryside and damage local wildlife - albeit outside of the South downs area - it should be given the same respect and regard.

'I cannot believe that the council are considering tearing up beautiful countryside in such an historic place as Alton, on the edge of the South Downs.

'Shame on you for even considering this proposal. When will this stop?

'People will come to visit the home area of Jane Austen and the countryside that inspired her works in the future to find they no longer exist and have been replaced by a red brick jungle.'

The Pride and Prejudice novelist was born in 1775 and grew up in the small Hampshire village of Steventon.

In 1809, Austen and her family moved to Chawton and was said to have 'enjoyed walks to Alton and in the Hampshire countryside'.

Locals said the author sought inspiration for her works at the Neatham Downs therefore the 'eyesore' development is 'not a good advert for Jane Austen's town'.

One objector wrote: 'I'm appalled to see this potential planned violation of a beautiful stretch of countryside rich in wildlife and also close to the historic house of Jane Austen, British literary icon.

'Alton does not have the infrastructure to support a whole 'new town', which will overwhelm a quiet market town with traffic, pollution and make local services far harder to access.'

The proposed site is located between two protected ancient woodlands and is home to resident populations of deer, hares, owls, hawks, kingfishers, stoats, and wild brown trout.

Jane Austen wrote her books in her Chawton cottage, which is located just five miles away from the fields.

Visitors can attend the house which is described as the 'birthplace of her six beloved novels' - including Pride and Prejudice.