PLANS to swallow up a green space in Crewe with 500 new homes has sparked a storm of protest.

Within hours of the scheme being announced, families had launched a campaign to rescue the farm land off Remer Street, Crewe from the hands of a developer.

Campaign organiser Robin Poste, who lives in Remer Street, has been inundated with 150 calls and emails over the past few days.

He said: 'I found out about this scheme by word of mouth and checked it out at the borough council offices. I was shocked to see the land behind the Cross Keys pub earmarked for 500 new homes.

'The main concern is over the massive pressure it will put on our local roads. Remer Street is already extremely busy and it can take me 15 minutes to get out of my drive in the morning.

'Many houses back on to the field and owners will lose their open outlook. People are worried about their homes being devalued and the loss of wildlife. The field is home to newts and bats.'

Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council is under pressure to build thousands of new homes to cater for the influx of families arriving with new industries, such as the Basford Sidings development scheme.

The authority wanted to see 1,000 new homes at Leighton West but a Government planning inspector ruled that large developments would be better spread round the borough.

He recommended splitting the homes between Leighton and the Remer Street site, known as Coppenhall East, and ward councillors are furious.

Cllr Ken Woolley said: 'There have been other bids to build on the land but they were defeated. There is already a serious traffic problem in the area and 500 new homes would make matters worse.'

Cllr Steven Roberts added: 'We are looking at ways round it, such as making sure the council's housing build target is met by 2011 on other sites leaving this one free from developers.'

Taylor Woodrow is believed to have an interest in the site. But before any plan is submitted, there has to be a traffic survey.

The inspector's report said building would only take place 'subject to a traffic transport impact assessment and the development and of an acceptable highways scheme.'