AIR traffic bosses plan to move 240 administrative staff from London to temporary offices in Swanwick sparking fears of traffic gridlock among people living nearby.

National Air Traffic Services has applied to Fareham council for planning permission for temporary offices to go up on 100 spaces of the Swanwick Centre's car park.

Bosses say the offices will only be used until its new technical and corporate headquarters is built at Solent Business Park in Whiteley in early 2004.

About 110 other staff will be moving into the main air traffic control centre which still has spare capacity.

A Nats spokesman said: "The lease is due to run out at our London headquarters. We thought we might as well move the administrative staff down to Swanwick.

"The offices will only be there for 18 months. We are looking at introducing a shuttle bus between the centre and nearby rail and bus stations."

But Don Frost, chairman of the Burridge and Swanwick Residents' Association said he feared extra staff would lead to more congestion, particularly in Swanwick Lane.

"The air traffic control centre is not served by public transport so commuters will not be left with much choice," he said.

"In effect we are looking at 18 months of more traffic."

Mr Frost said the residents' association would like to see pinch points in Swanwick Lane to stop traffic exceeding the 30mph speed limit.

A public meeting about the proposed development will take place on Monday at 7.30pm in the Parish Rooms, Barnes Lane, Sarisbury.

Fareham council's executive leader Councillor Sean Wood-ward will chair the meeting. John Wallace, group property manager of Nats and Alan Wells , Fareham council's chief development control officer will answer questions.

Fareham council's planning development control committee will decide whether to grant the scheme planning permission when members meet on December 11.