RESIDENTS in an exclusive corner of Hampshire are banding together to fight plans to build factories on their doorstep.

Following a public meeting in Chilworth in October - attended by 200 people - a residents' action committee has been formed in a bid to halt the expansion of Chilworth Science Park into the countryside.

The 10-strong committee has co-ordinated a mass leaflet-drop to 600 homes in Chilworth, and is urging residents to write to Test Valley Borough Council, objecting to two planning applications for the Southampton University-owned centre for hi-tech research and development.

The committee fears that if given the green light, the two new buildings will turn the park into an industrial estate, with factories releasing toxic chemicals, as well as destroying trees and increasing traffic.

A planning application from Fibercore, which uses chemicals in the production of fibre-optic cables, is due to be considered by the borough council in January.

A second application is for Southampton Photonics, which plans to employ 200 people - adding to the current total of 535 employees at the park - in the production of fibre optic components.

Committee chairwoman Alison Finlay said that because work carried out at the two companies would be "leading edge technology", it is impossible for anyone to really know the possible health hazards involved.

She added: "At the public meeting, the managing director of Fibercore did not indicate that he knew too much about the chemicals being used, so that in itself is a rather damning situation. The problem is, when these companies get in, who knows how effective the monitoring is?"

But Dr Chris Emslie, managing director of Fibercore Ltd, said: "At the meeting, I simply refused to be drawn into a complex chemical debate in that particular forum. I have actually shown people from the committee around our facility at the university and we have been very, very open.

"It's not simply a case that we will try our best to comply with the regulations, we cannot actually operate without permission from the Environment Agency."

Science park managing director, Don Fox, said a study of the A27 confirmed the road has sufficient capacity to take extra traffic, while any trees lost would be replaced.

He added: "It's very difficult to see any part of the science park from any residential part of Chilworth. We are very proud of this and we want to maintain this intense landscaping. We are part of the community, we will protect the community, and we will protect the special properties of Chilworth."

Residents are invited to an update meeting on January 18, at 7.30pm, in Chilworth Village Hall.