Coun Jason Zadrozny (Lib Dem) says that when he saw a map of the proposed sites, with the local ones highlighted in red, it "looked like the town was bleeding".

So angry is he that he plans to resign from Ashfield's planning committee so he has a free hand to fight the issue.

He told the Dispatch: "To say I am upset about it is an understatement.

"Hucknall has had more than its fair share of housing. We have to bring everyone on board and fight to stop this. Hucknall won't be a town anymore, it will be a faceless mass without its own identity.

"The people who did this study said: we don't care if there's not one affordable house. We don't care if it's Green Belt.'

"This would strangle Hucknall. We have to present a united front. We are putting our hearts on our sleeves and will fight this as far as we can"

Coun Zadrozny is vice-chairman of the Joint Planning Advisory Board, which was heavily involved in commissioning the study.

But he was refused a copy of the final document and intends to make a formal complaint.

His thoughts were echoed by Coun Austin Rathe (Lib Dem), of Hucknall, who is the council's deputy leader and a member of Ashfield's planning committee.

Both fear the plans could lead to Hucknall, Annesley and Kirkby being sucked into urban sprawl.

"The thing we are most proud if is that our towns have their own, strong identities and we want to keep that," said Coun Rathe.

Coun Zadrozny added: "These homes will not be nice places to live. They will comprise high-rise flats and poor-quality homes that will create ghettos.

"Some developments are good if they benefit the area. But we need to protect our green spaces. We should be building on 'brownfield' sites and not destroying our countryside."

Coun Chris Baron (Lab), a Hucknall member of Notts County Council, says the town has already been hit hard by housing developments.

He said: "It is time other areas had their fair share. I personally do not think this is right.

"Our own identity is as the separate community of Hucknall. Urban sprawl is not the way forward."

But he urged people not to jump to conclusions, adding: "This is only part of the bigger picture. I do not think that the amount of houses is right at the moment because developers are not selling homes and housing sites are falling idle.

"But that doesn't mean it will continue for 20 years. We have to prepare for a long-term vision."