People in Whitchurch have formed a campaign group in a bid to stop thousands of homes being built on green-belt land which they say would rip the heart out of their community.

The Protect Whitchurch Green Belt Alliance is determined to stop more than 8,000 homes being built in the village.

They say building so many homes in the area would destroy the village and its close-knit community.

The campaign has been spearheaded by residents Tim Thorne, Mary Walsh and Mike Parsons.

They are ably supported by many foot soldiers who have already delivered 4,500 leaflets to gain support for their cause.

More than 150 people packed a public meeting in Whitchurch last October to voice concern at plans for 9,500 homes in the area – 8,000 in the Bath and North East Somerset district and 1,500 within the Bristol boundary.

Mr Parsons, 56, of Churchways, said: "My family have lived here for 150 years and we have always been a resilient community that has fought to retain the heart of the village.

"We have a fete, thriving community centre and church, but the influx of people would destroy that sense of community.

"People love Whitchurch because they can walk outside their back door and see miles of green fields and go out the front door onto a road that takes them into Bristol.

"We want to make it clear that we are not against having more housing but having this much would ruin the village.

"But there are hundreds of acres of brownfield land in the Midlands and the North that could be used to help the housing situation, but it remains untouched."

Mrs Walsh, 64, of Norton Lane, said: "Each week I write a letter to my MP or a minister to try and get something done.

"You just can not have a village without any green spaces. We have a great sense of community, but that will go.

"We are determined to fight, we are not just going to go away – this is far too important, too many people are affected."

Mr Thorne, 49, of Rookery Way, said: "Whitchurch simply does not have the infrastructure to cope with all this housing and the community would suffer.

"There are not enough schools, play areas, fire stations or police and the traffic would be unbearable.

"The A37 is already gridlocked and so many cars would just lead to people looking for rat runs."

Dan Norris, Labour MP for Wansdyke, said: "It is complicated because my area has such beautiful and irreplaceable countryside.

"There is nowhere you want to build because everywhere is lovely, but the reality is there are 6,000 on the housing list in B&NES.

"Although I accept there will be double counting in these figures, these are still shockingly high.

"I am glad that they accept that some housing needs to be built, that is the point I have been making.

"I am not totally convinced that these houses should be focused around Whitchurch.

"I do thing that this burden should be shared throughout the communities in the district."

Residents' feelings have been echoed by council members.

Councillor Peter Edwards (Publow and Whitchurch) said: "The number of houses proposed by the Secretary of State is unrealistic and unobtainable. The whole strategy is ill thought out by unelected persons with no local knowledge and was commenced prior to the dramatic downturn in the economy by the unaccountable South West Regional Assembly, which should be abolished immediately.

"No thought or planning has been considered for the complete range of infrastructure required since the area is badly served with public transport and the existing road network can barely cope with the existing levels."

- On April 19 a film made by resident Jo Haywood will show what could happen to Whitchurch if the houses are allowed. It will be screened at the Whitchurch Community Centre between 2pm and 6pm. Entry is free.