CHIPPING Campden Town Council has agreed to join a coalition of nine other villages in the north Cotswolds and south Warwickshire to fight plans for an eco-town at Long Marston.

Members of the town council agreed at their meeting on Tuesday to appoint a representative, probably Councillor Liz Hodges, to the Eco-town protest group being funded by publishing magnate Felix Dennis of Dorsington Manor in Dorsington.

Councillors heard a plea from Mickleton Parish Council chairman Martin Gittins for Chipping Campden to support the campaign to oppose the siting of a 6,000 home eco-town called Middle Quinton on the old army engineering depot at Long Marston, six miles from Campden.

"If this happens it will butcher a delightful area of the north Cotswolds and south Warwickshire," said Cllr Gittins, who said half the homes would be for social housing.

The Long Marston site is one of 55 identified across the country, of which 15 will be shortlisted for development.

"I very much fear the Long Marston site is going to be one of those on the shortlist," said Cllr Gittins.

He said the campaign group meets weekly at Mr Dennis's home to plan its action, which has so far included petitions to planning authority Stratford District Council and roadshows in the surrounding villages.

"There is a lot more we have to do. We have to keep up the momentum," said Cllr Gittins, who is also hoping to seek Shipston Town Council's support.

"We had a meeting at Mr Dennis's on Saturday. There is no question he is going to fight this to the bitter end. The nine villages involved feel the same," he added.

Despite some councillors' concerns that there was a need for social housing in the area, the town council agreed that it was the scale of the proposed development that was being questioned.

An announcement on the 15 shortlisted schemes had been due to be made this month (March) but Cllr Gittins thought it was more likely after the local elections in May and possibly not until July.