Veronica Trevett, who is leading a fight against plans for housing on land south of Wallisdown Road next to protected heathland, told a public meeting that the scheme should never be accepted.

The application is for 450 student units and 378 new homes to be built on land owned by the Talbot Village Trust which falls within the Natural England 400-metre protection zone designed to protect heathland against the effects of urbanisation.

Around 150 people, several holding protest banners, braved the bitter cold to attend the meeting on land next to Mayford Road, Talbot View on Saturday.

The proposed development would increase congestion on Wallisdown Road, put pressure on the existing infrastructure and destroy a beautiful area, the meeting heard.

Cllr Karen Rampton said: “The development will have an impact on people’s environment and the heath if it were to go ahead and a nine foot high cat-proof fence behind their properties. It would seem as if you were living in a concentration camp.

“Wallisdown Road is already severely congested and the extra housing units would bring it to a standstill.”

Cllr Guy Montrose told the crowd: “I think it’s the wrong place to have it. I encourage as many people as possible to sign Veronica’s petition.”

Cllr David Gillard said: “I am Poole born and bred. I don’t like this continuing loss of open space. We have got to save this as part of saving the planet.”

Cllr Phil Eades described the land as “the last green space left between Bournemouth and Poole” adding: “When it goes it will be one big city.”

Nick Squirrell, conservation adviser for Natural England, said that the heathland was of national importance “up there with Stonehenge”.

He added that development on Talbot Village Trust land could not be ruled out but it would need to be “scaled down and the number of units reduced”.

Speaking afterwards James Gibson, trustee at the Talbot Village Trust, said the proposed development would provide much needed affordable housing and “result in the substantial restoration and improvement of the heathland to the tune of £1m as well as creating 26 acres of new heath”.

People have until March 3 to submit their objections.