MAJOR efforts will be made to cut down noise made by building and operating a huge new dock on Southampton Water if it goes ahead, a public inquiry has been told.

The inquiry into plans for a new container terminal between Hythe and March-wood heard yesterday from acoustics expert Rupert Thornely-Taylor that: "The scheme has been designed from the outset to avoid impacts."

With people at Hythe in general and Hythe Marina in particular worried about the effect on their homes, he said: "The layout of the terminal has been designed so that the nearest berth is separated from Hythe Marina by the area of the creek.

"Also, the aggregate wharf and handling area has been located in the northern part of the site close to Marchwood Military Port and some of the nearest properties and farms along Main Road (between Marchwood and Hythe) are separated from the operational terminal by an extensive area of nature conservation enhancement."

Mr Thornely-Taylor also suggested the overall impact of noise made by the construction of the new dock was "considered to be of minor significance." Describing noise levels at Hythe Marina during port construction, he said an assessment had "concluded that noise levels will be of marginal magnitude and therefore not significant."

Of the countryside properties, including Veals and Locks farms, the Pilgrim Inn at Marchwood and March-wood Priory Hospital, he said: "Overall impact is considered to be of minor significance."

But he did concede that road improvements connected with the terminal would be "of moderate or substantial magnitude" before mitigation work was carried out. Build-ing railway access to the port would at times cause a "moderate" impact.

If the port went ahead, he said, its operation would have "an adverse impact of minor significance" day and night and noise from rail traffic at Marchwood would be "insignificant or minor".

New Forest District Council, opposing the scheme, made it clear that there were various issues it was not happy about.

Proceeding