A pressure group has urged people to literally play their part against rampant development in East Hampshire by joining a family event in Four Marks next weekend.

A Family “Play Outside” Day will be held at Four Marks Recreation Ground next Saturday (April 18) as part of a National Day of Action.

More than 60 similar events are being held across the country as the Community Planning Alliance (CPA) wants to show planners and the government how much residents appreciate nature and green spaces amid a huge push for new housing.

Few areas in the county have seen more new housing than Medstead and Four Marks in recent years, with plans for hundreds more dwellings in the pipeline.

But there’s been similar pushes around East Hampshire with huge developments lined-up around places like Liphook, Horndean, Alton, Holybourne and along the A31 corridor.

And with so many green fields being earmarked for housing, organisers want to see plenty of play at Four Marks to highlight the desire for green spaces, nature and village life to the government and EHDC in the face of rampant and speculative applications.

“This is a great opportunity to meet residents, pool our resources, refresh our community spirit and perhaps gain new prospectives on how to engage with our government and EHDC,” said a spokesperson for the A31 Alliance.

“We need them to understand these are our towns and villages, and their sweeping decisions now cannot be undone in the future.

“Now is the time to fight for our countryside and the village way of life. People from all local towns and villages are welcome”.

All sorts of games from rounders to football will be encouraged at the event off Uplands Lane from 1pm to 6pm.

There’s also a decent playground at the site while the bar at Benians Pavilion will be open from 3pm.

There will be an opportunity at the Four Marks event to participate in a group photo to send to Keir Starmer, although this is not a mandatory.

"Our green spaces are under unprecedented pressure” said Rosie Pearson, CPA Chair.

“This day of action shows communities everywhere are ready to stand up for the places that matter to them – for health, for wildlife, for heritage, for food, and for future generations.”

Would-be attendees have also been encouraged to sign the ‘Save Jane Austen County’ petition against development around Alton at www.change.org