TWO of Hampshire's biggest firms are locked in a multi-million pound legal battle over the use of maps.

The Southampton-based Ordnance Survey has already been paid £875,000 by the Automobile Association for illegally using its maps.

The money, which had earlier been paid to the High Court, covers 64 town plans which the motoring organisation admits were taken from Ordnance Survey originals.

The Ordnance Survey, which has its headquarters in Maybush, began legal action against the AA in December 1996, after accusing it of breaching Crown copyright.

But the payment is only a partial end to the argument as the source material of about 350 plans of towns and airports remains in dispute. The case is now listed to be heard in the High Court in London next July.

According to documents tabled at the High Court, the 64 town plans covered by the settlement have been published in a range of publications, including the AA's own road atlases.

It also includes maps produced by the AA for other companies, including Thomson Local Directories, Marks & Spencer, WH Smith and Halfords.

The AA accepts the 64 town plans were "inadvertently" taken from Ordnance Survey source material.

The plans included its home town of Basingstoke along with Southampton, Portsmouth, Salisbury, Bournemouth, Southsea, Poole and Christchurch.

The AA denies using OS originals in producing the 350 plans, which are still in dispute.

But the Ordnance Survey insists the alleged infringement of Crown copyright goes further than the AA has admitted, and is continuing its claim.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.