The new development could see the expansion of Northampton

STOP said 1,600 groups and individuals submitted comments on the plans but only a few had been invited to give evidence at the examination.

STOP believes that pro-development groups are "grossly over-represented".

A government spokesman said claims that the interests were skewed were "totally inaccurate".

The plans for the Milton Keynes South Midlands growth area have been put forward by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

'Push through plans'

STOP, which campaigns against over-development, argues that the voice of residents' groups and democratically elected councils had been strictly curtailed.

A spokesman for the group said that of the 24 places at the table for the first part of the examination, 15 representatives of building and development groups have been listed.

They include the House Builders' Federation, Bovis Homes and Taylor Woodrow developments.

Yet, only one representative will be allowed to speak on behalf of all seven district councils in Northamptonshire, said the spokesman.

Sir Peter Fry, chairman of STOP, said: "It couldn't be clearer that the government is trying to push all these plans through with the minimum amount of democratic input.

"The voice of Northamptonshire's residents is being drowned out by the sound of developers' bull dozers and cranes already being swung into action."

A spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said STOP's claims that the public examination represented only pro-development interests was "totally inaccurate".

"There is no question of the public examination being skewed in favour of any group.

"The claim that 15 of the 24 participants represent property developers is also incorrect. In fact, only five represent property firms."

Independently appointed

The spokesman said the examination would hear from a variety of organisations, with county councils, district councils and regional assemblies all represented.

Representatives of Friends of the Earth, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England and the Environment Agency had also been invited to attend.

"All the participants have not been chosen by the Government, but by the panel itself, which has been appointed independently and will draw its conclusions independently," the spokesman added.