A long-running bid to build a nursery in North Baddesley continues - with the final decision now resting with the office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Test Valley Borough Councillors recommended the case of Yellow Dot nursery be sent to the government after they failed to reach a conclusive decision at a planning control committee meeting last week.

The move has been welcomed by nursery boss, Jane Dyke, who has led the campaign for the scheme for 52 youngsters behind the village's town hall, and says the area is in need of childcare places.

She said: "It's not over yet. I'm optimistic now that it's for the Deputy Prime minister to look at. I've waited two years - another 28 days won't hurt." The meeting's decision came two days after the project was rejected by the borough's southern area planning committee, despite officers' recommendations. Then, members heard that the authority could face hefty costs if the scheme was thrown out and the applicant went to appeal and won.

At Thursday's Planning Control meeting, Mrs Dyke said members debated the matter at length with Councillors Alan Dowden and Steve Cosier, both making an appearance to argue against the scheme.

Mrs Dyke said that both members felt the scheme represented a visual intrusion for residents and would take up too much of the countryside, on a site which lies next to a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC).

After a vote which split the committee, Mr Dowden told members the decision was too important for a local authority to make and recommended the final say went to the deputy Prime Minister's Office.

Members agreed nine to two.

Mrs Dyke argued that the scheme would only take up 19 per cent of the site with the majority of the land remaining open and with views of the conservation area.

She said that Yellow Dot would be built next to the village hall and fit into the "street scene" and that Hampshire County Council figures had shown there was a need for 388 full time places in North Baddesley.

"There is an overwhelming need for and demand for a full-day care nursery at North Baddesley.

Celia Dowden, ward member, said that the applicant already had 195 children on waiting lists at her nurseries in Chandler's Ford, so 52 places at the new nursery would immediately be taken up by children, unlikely to be from North Baddesley.

But after the meeting, Mrs Dyke refuted the claim and said many of the children on the waiting list were from the North Baddesley Parish including Valley Park. "We are not doing this because of our waiting lists. There's a much bigger demand than Mrs Dowden realises."