HUNDREDS of residents have signed a petition against plans for a huge quarry on the edge of a Hampshire community.

More than 850 signatures have been collected from people opposing proposals for land near Hythe to be dug up for gravel and then filled in with waste as a landfill site.

Forest Lodge Farm, with runs alongside Fawley Road, is one of about 30 places in the New Forest being considered as potential waste sites.

Hampshire County Council officers are looking into the possibility of digging out 1.7 million tonnes of sand and gravel from Forest Lodge, leaving 625,000 cubic metres for landfill.

Scores of Waterside residents gathered for a public protest against the plans earlier this year and, since then, a petition has gathered momentum.

The county council said: "Not all sites being considered will be required. The core strategy, as submitted to Government, does not require any new quarries in the Forest area until after 2016, providing existing preferred areas come forward as expected."

If, following current information gathering, Forest Lodge is put forward for gravel extraction and landfill, a formal consultation will take place.