A group of angry Lychpit residents has launched a last ditch bid to overturn plans to construct a biomass powerstation almost on their doorstep.
Their homes in the Blackberry Walk area are only a short distance from the proposed power station in Armstrong Road on the Daneshill industrial estate.
About 15 of them attended a meeting of Old Basing parish council planning committee on Monday 19 April when the scheme, earmarked for a wastepaper recycling warehouse, was discussed.
They were alerted to the planning application by a leaflet put through letterboxes less than an hour before the meeting started.
The protesters said they were opposed to the scheme because of fears that fumes from the biomass power station, which would burn wood chips to provide electricity to the national grid, would be a health hazard.
And they wanted to know why Basingstoke Council, which was responsible for the consultation process, had not asked for their views before giving the scheme the all clear.
Hampshire County Council, which has the final say, is due to discuss the application by SCA Recycling UK and has set a deadline of Tuesday 27 April for objections to be lodged.
One Blackberry Walk resident said: "It's disgraceful that we only learnt about this scheme by chance. I hope it wasn't a deliberate attempt to keep us in the dark." He added: "The general view is that this facility should be situated well away from houses."
Old Basing parish council is pressing for the planning application to be recalled to give residents an opportunity to voice their objections.
The objectors are urging residents to lobby their
county councillor, Elaine Still, and the county council's development
control officer Peter Chadwick.