ABOUT 150 protesters braved the bitter cold today (Saturday) to demonstrate against a plan to build 100 homes on a greenfield site near Salisbury Cathedral.

The group were looking to place pressure on developers, who were hosting a public exhibition inside the Guildhall to show off designs for the houses at Britford Lane, East Harnham.

Dean Speer, an organiser from protest group Save the Meadows, said they wanted to make it clear to the landowners that the public are against the proposal.

He said: "I think that is demonstrated by the number of people who have come along and made their views very clear — this is not the right place to be build new house. We need new houses, just not on Britford Lane.

"There has been fantastic support, it shows how people can come together and make things happen.

"We really hope that from the strength of opinion the councillors will listen to what people want in our city."

The short protest took place at 11am with the crowd dispersing shortly after making a defiant chant to the TV cameras.

Faye Symington, who was part of the protest, said: "I feel it is to the detriment of Salisbury, we don't need those houses there when other sites are available. If these houses are built we are going to have lost one of the jewels of Salisbury."

Longford Estates’ Land Agent, Alasdair Jones-Perrott said the site was not classified as a watermeadow and it was outside the designated flood zone. The estate say they will enter a legal covenant to ensure developers will be restricted to building 100 homes.

He said: "I would like to thank all those people who turned up at our public exhibition for providing us with their thoughts and comments. 

"Salisbury needs to deliver new housing and we feel that we have a very strong scheme here that can help to meet the shortfall in housing.

"We are not your typical developer, we have engaged local experts to ensure that our scheme responds to the character of the local area and contributes positively to Salisbury."