TAXPAYERS could be lumped with a bill running into thousands of pounds if plans for a giant business complex on the outskirts of Southampton are rejected.

Proposals to transform disused land at Adanac Park in Nursling into a thriving complex with dozens of businesses, bringing 3,600 jobs, lie in jeopardy after civic chiefs blocked the bid.

Now the company behind the dream to regenerate the 78-acre site next to the M271 is weighing up whether to appeal against their ruling.

As previously reported, members of Test Valley Borough Council’s planning committee rejected four out of nine separate applications by Barker-Mill Estates to create 47,000 sq m of business space and 31,700 sq m of storage and distribution space on the land next to Ordnance Survey’s new headquarters.

The committee voted against officer recommendations claiming that more space needed to be reserved for skilled jobs and that land set aside for business was too close to proposed homes for the site and existing houses.

The decision will ultimately be decided by the county’s planning control. But officers at the meeting warned the district council could face repercussions from the developer’s appeal.

Barker-Mill Estates has yet to make a final decision on the way forward. Trustee Tim Jobling said: “We are involved in ongoing discussions with the officers. A decision on appeal will not be taken for at least a fortnight.”

Proposals to create two separate 27,600 sq m and 4,100 sq m zones of storage distribution and general industry were thrown out by councillors, claiming it contradicted local policy of reserving the area for office use and to essentially promote it as ‘science park’ to nurture hi-tech and skilled jobs.

Afterwards Conservative panel member Cllr Neville Whiteley defended their decision, saying that as an outline planning application there were very little details about what the eventual buildings would look like.

He said: “You’ve got to be cautious because it is going to be there for 50 years.”

Liberal Democrat Cllr Mark Cooper said creating higher quality office jobs would encourage more companies to set up there. He added: “It would create more jobs and higher paid and more qualified ones. We want a pool of high-profile labour.”

Councillors ratified plans for two other 10,840 sq m and 12,941 sq m schemes of light industrial use on the site and a restaurant in Adanac Triangle. They also accepted plans to transform grade II listed buildings at Bargain Farm into homes but rejected the developer’s plans for 23 homes due to its perceived “poor design”.

Southampton City Council and Hampshire County Council have backed the plans. Ordnance Survey has objected to the proposals, saying it would encourage more private car use, there is already sufficient office space in Southampton, while the site is more suited to a headquarters-style building.