Eco-town protest outside Parliament

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The protesters, who came from across the country, accused the Government of building "rural ghettos of the future" and failing to consult local people over the proposals.

On the last day of the first phase of consultation on the eco-town scheme, the protesters gathered in Westminster chanting noisily and waving placards against the schemes which have been shortlisted for further consideration.

Tony Henman, father of tennis star Tim Henman, who is opposing a development close to his village Weston-on-the-Green, Oxfordshire, was among the campaigners.

He said: "The message we want to convey is that we're certainly in favour of new, affordable housing but it's got to be in the right place."

He said that if the scheme went ahead at Weston Otmoor, thousands of homes would be built on greenbelt and greenfield land, destroying the rural community and increasing traffic.

Mike Brain, a councillor in Stratford-upon-Avon District Council, warned the Government the eco-towns would become the rural ghettos of the future.

He said plans to build 6,000 houses in a scheme at Middle Quinton was inappropriate for an area with no unemployment, very little housing needs and where it went against local planning policy.

And he accused the Government of choosing the site for financial gain, saying the Ministry of Defence land would earn the Government up to £200 million if it was developed.

The protest came as the Conservatives announced they were withdrawing support for what they described as an "eco-con". Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps said the Government was watering down the environmental standards for the construction of the towns and ignoring the needs of local communities.