Residents are objecting to disused farm buildings being converted into business units at Twyford, near Winchester.

Around 25 villagers attended a Winchester City Council planning meeting at Twyford Parish Hall on Tuesday.

They raised concerns over increased traffic, noise and the appearance and building materials of the proposed units.

Humphrey Farms wants to convert four two-storey buildings, which, until January, 2002, housed battery hens, into light industrial warehouses and research studios.

The buildings are part of Northfields Poultry Farm on the north-eastern edge of Twyford, with access from Hazeley Road.

City council planners inspected the site before hearing the views of the applicants and of residents.

Twyford Parish Council is opposed to the scheme and chairman, Chris Corcoran, lodged several objections. He said his members were worried that the business units would be out of keeping and create noise.

A spokesman for Pro Vision, planning agents for Humphrey Farms, said there were no proposals for heavy industry at the site.

"There will be no engineering, no car-breaking, car workshops or heavy machinery, and no use of machinery inside or outside the buildings that could affect any neighbours," he added.

Residents also raised concerns about lorries turning onto Hazeley Road and increased traffic.

Pro Vision said rush hour traffic would increase by around 3% on Hazeley Road, which currently had 500 car movements per hour in peak periods.

Mr Corcoran said: "The increase in traffic may be small but the two junctions the farm relies on are substandard and dangerous."

Northfields Poultry Farm is one of several sites operated by Humphrey Farms in Hampshire and Sussex.

The company, which specialises in egg production, says it would run the new business units, while retaining the rest of the farm for agricultural use.

The farm includes a feed mill, which residents say is an eyesore and continual source of noise pollution.

Villagers complaining about the mill were told it was not in the scheme and could not be discussed.

Members of the city council planning committee will make a decision on the scheme towards the end of May.