More than eight out of 10 people do not believe 32,800 new homes are needed in South Gloucestershire, according to a survey of households by a campaign group.

The results were revealed at a meeting of Save Warmley and Siston Green Spaces last night.

More than 300 people packed into Kingswood Civic Centre to listen to campaigners, environmental charities and representatives of the Government and council.

Chairwoman of Save Warmley and Siston Green Spaces, Jacquie Stevens, 55, of Stanley Road, Warmley, said: "We organised this meeting because we care very passionately about green spaces.

"We asked people what they think, not knowing what response we would get, but it was absolutely massive. People came out in their thousands."

The organisation, which was set up less than a year ago to fight proposals to build thousands of houses east of Kingswood, received almost 1,500 responses to its questionnaire about the plans.

The majority of people surveyed in Warmley, Shortwood, Kingswood, Oldland Common, Thornbury, Yate and Chipping Sodbury told campaigners that the green belt was important, should be legally protected and brown field land should be built on ahead of green field and green belt sites.

Among concerned residents at last night's meeting was Malcolm Wiltshire, 60, a retired school caretaker, of Church Road, Kingswood, who has lived in the area all his life.

He said: "The open spaces are good for walking and cycling and I would not want to see them lost.

"I know there is a need for houses but they need affordable houses and not luxury ones. We need to keep an eye on the green belt or it will go."

Janet Jenkins, 48, a clerical assistant from Bitton, attended with her husband Steve.

Mrs Jenkins said: "We are concerned about development from Bitton onwards. There is a lot of greenery and we don't want that spoilt.

"And we wanted to get a feeling for what other people are thinking really."

Mr Jenkins, 59, who is retired, said: "I think it should be for local people to decide how many houses should be built and not the Government."

Sue Watkins, of Keynsham, said: "The adjoining field to my house is going to be used for development and it is currently green field land which could be replaced with up to 700 houses. It is the sort of area that is used all the time for recreational purposes and I wanted to hear what is being said and take any opportunities to join in with the campaign."

Spokeswoman for the National Trust, Laura MacKenzie, explained the charity's stance on protecting green belt and lent her support to the campaign group.

Organic farmer Jill Britten, of Whitewood Farm in Norton Lane, Whitchurch, told the meeting about the work she and her husband Paul have achieved in more than 40 years and said they would not sell up.

Members of other Save Our Green Spaces (SOGS) groups around Bristol also attended the meeting to show their support.

Among them was the chairwoman of Dundry Residents Action Group, Debbie Nicholls, who said: "We are not opposed to building houses – what we do object to is central Government, together with developers, dictating where and how many."

Councillor Matthew Riddle, who is in charge of housing for South Gloucestershire Council and grew up in the area, said the authority's position was the same as it was when the number of homes was first suggested by the secretary of state.

He said: "It would be a change for the worse, especially where the green belt is concerned."

Save Warmley and Siston Green Spaces Group will be holding a series of other events over the coming months.