Residents of Medstead and Four Marks have sent an open letter to prime minister Rishi Sunak to protest about their villages being overrun with housing.

In the last decade more than 400 houses have been built in the two villages, even though the current East Hampshire District Council Local Plan only required 175 by 2028.

The council’s Draft Local Plan to cover the period from 2021 to 2040 has put forward three potential housing sites in Four Marks – 11 acres west of Lymington Barn (90 homes), four acres behind 97 to 103 Blackberry Lane (20 homes) and 21 acres south of Winchester Road (100 homes). One site has been identified in Medstead – six acres behind Junipers (15 homes).

Steve Adams, chair of Stand with Medstead Against Speculative Housing (SMASH), said: “Our residents are totally fed up with this constant deluge of speculative planning applications and are looking for a change in the strategy and policy to stop Four Marks and south Medstead being a dumping ground for huge numbers of additional houses which significantly change the character of the villages, increase car usage and put yet more pressure on the limited facilities, infrastructure and wildlife.”

The letter, sent via SMASH and fellow pressure group Fight4FourMarks, asks the question: “Who can change this situation and who has control? Who can stop the destruction of productive green land for developers’ profit?”

The campaigners added: “This letter to the prime minister captures the community mood and highlights that it is only rapid action from the top down that can stop the north of East Hampshire being turned into a semi-urban sprawl with little infrastructure to match. A deep chill of frustration is blowing towards the decision makers across the board.

“It’s going to be a bleak midwinter. Enough is enough.”