GRANTING a licence to use Hampshire County Council land for exploratory oil drilling would not be in the best interests of the local community.

That is what county council leader Ken Thornber will be told in an officer's report today when he holds a specially-convened decision day to consider whether to let Northern Petroleum use a farmland site off Woodhouse Lane on the Hedge End-Botley border.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo, plans to drill up to three exploratory wells just yards from homes and Berrywood Primary School have been met by fierce opposition.

Hundreds of residents and parents of pupils at Berrywood - which has a border 250 metres from the edge of the proposed exploration site - have left councillors in no doubt of their feelings.

Now, Cllr Thornber will be advised to refuse use of the site to protect the county council's land assets and ensure that Hampshire "remains a place where people want to live."

A report by Andrew Smith, the county's director of property, business and regulatory services, says Northern Petroleum's application was submitted without following the normal protocol of first consulting the county, as landowner, to obtain consent.

Plans include a 36m mast and 24-hour drilling for up to seven weeks for each exploratory well. Mr Smith says that if sufficient oil deposits were found, there would be the possibility of an industrial operation for up to 30 years.

"Having regard to the nature and level of information submitted in support of the application, and the lack of consultation with the community at an early stage, I am not satisfied that the proposal brings any significant benefits to the local community, " he said.

"Certainly, the impact of the proposal outweighs the limited financial returns that would be received should the application be granted."

In his report, Mr Smith says governors of Berrywood had expressed concerns over the risk of explosion or airborne contamination from the drilling process, any storage of flammable materials and were worried about gas flares.

Mr Smith added: "When compared with the current arable use of the land it is obvious that the industrial exploration processes involved sit uneasily with the operation of the primary school and nearby development."

Spokesman for the local campaigners Say No group, Peter Burford, said: "There is an awful lot of members of the public who want to see the end of this proposal. We are quietly confident that we will get the right result."