THE battle of Dibden Bay descended into farce last night.

Green campaigners claimed a report by a group of councils in the south blows the case for a huge new £700m container terminal opposite Southampton out of the water.

But Southampton City Council - a member of the South East and Anglian Ports Local Authority Group that produced the study - says it should not have been published.

City chiefs say they were not consulted on the "final" report and believe it contains errors and statements that are not backed up by facts.

They are worried it could be used at the long-running public inquiry into the issue that started in November 2001.

The Seaports report fails to back Southampton port's expansion on to the Waterside saying development of a new container terminal at Felixstowe in Suffolk and Shell Haven on the Thames estuary would be better.

It refers to the potential damage to the environment and the impact on the proposed New Forest National Park.

Researchers also states that arguing the Dibden Bay development would lead to an economic regeneration of the Southampton area is "not straightforward."

They claim to have consulted Southampton City Council, Southampton Port Consultative Committee, Southampton Container Terminals and Associated British Ports, the firm that wants to build Dibden Bay, to reach their conclusions.

New calls were made today for plans for a huge new dock at Dibden Bay to be dropped.

Friends of the Earth's south east regional campaigns co-ordinator Amanda Bruce said Dibden Bay was "seriously undermined" by the report.

She said: "ABP should withdraw its uneconomic and damaging plans for Dibden immediately."

But Southampton City Council's environment and transport cabinet member Richard Williams said: "Port development at any location needs careful consideration of the advantages and disadvantages.

"The public inquiry currently under way over plans for development at Dibden Bay is looking at a wealth of detailed evidence from all parties and I have every confidence a balanced judgement will be reached.

"So it is very sad and disappointing when material appears to be rushed into the public domain without the authors even having the courtesy to consult all members of the group.

"Southampton City Council and others have not had a chance to comment on this final report and we are concerned it could be used to distort port development in the south."

Associated British Ports, the owners and operators of Southampton Docks, wants to develop Dibden Bay because it believes it must expand if the city is the stay as one of Europe's leading ports.

It maintains the scheme will play a key role in the both the local and national economy.