The Medstead and Four Marks Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group is holding a drop-in session at Four Marks Village Hall on January 26 from 2pm to 5pm.

It will enable the voices of residents to be heard and help the group understand and shape proposals for the future needs of the villages.

The government wants 1,142 homes to be built in East Hampshire every year and villages such as Four Marks and Medstead could see their populations increase by a third in the next few years.

A steering group spokesperson said: “These developments, driven by national housing demand, are set to bring both opportunities and challenges to our local communities.

“To ensure that the dwellings that the villages really need are to be built in the right place and at the right time, the Medstead and Four Marks Neighbourhood Plan is being revised.

“As the area has previously suffered from speculative development in the past, it is proposed that this revised Neighbourhood Plan will allocate housing.

“This change would make the villages independent from some of the planning legislation that requires East Hampshire District Council to maintain a five-year land supply.”

This is the first of several consultations planned during the development of the new Neighbourhood Plan, enabling villagers to put forward their views on what housing and services they believe Four Marks and Medstead need.

The steering group is particularly interested in understanding villagers’ thoughts on the types of homes needed in Medstead and Four Marks, and where around the villages new housing would be best located.

The spokesperson added: “This is very important because, with new housing development on the horizon, it is vital that Medstead and Four Marks, as a community, have a say in the government’s planning process.

“Whether it is affordable housing for young families, bungalows for older residents, or homes that blend seamlessly into our rural landscape, it is our villagers’ opinion that matters.

“This drop-in session is a chance to make sure that any future development reflects the needs and desires of those who actually live in Four Marks and Medstead, and not just bow to national targets or external pressures.

“The steering group are volunteers, resident in the villages, who may not have the answers to all your questions but who are looking to help find the answers for you during the making of the new Neighbourhood Plan.”