COUNCIL chiefs are fighting plans to build a permanent waste transfer station on the edge of the New Forest National Park.

Veolia Environmental Services has applied for planning permission to bulldoze the old incinerator at Bury Road, Marchwood, and redevelop the site.

A temporary waste transfer station has been operating there since the incinerator closed on environmental grounds in the mid-1990s.

However, Veolia's plan to replace it with a permanent facility that will handle almost 60,000 tonnes of rubbish a year was attacked at a meeting of the district council's planning and development control committee.

Members voted to raise an objection to the application, which will be decided by Hampshire County Council.

Planning officers said the scheme had resulted in nine letters of objection and a petition signed by almost 160 protesters.

Fiona Hardy, representing Marchwood Parish Council, said the site was in the strategic gap between Marchwood and Eling.

She added: "One third of Marchwood is within the New Forest National Park. Allowing the areas surrounding the park to become over-industrialised will have a detrimental effect on the Forest."

John Collis, representing Veolia, said the former incinerator would be replaced by a modern and much smaller building if the application were approved.

He added: "There's a substantial need for this facility."

A report to councillors said: "The proposed development meets a particular waste need and there are certain advantages to developing the Marchwood site, given its location and previous uses.

"However, a large and intrusive new structure would harm the rural character and appearance of this area of countryside."

Michael Thierry, the district council's Cabinet member for the environment, supported the application.

He warned that waste would have to be taken to sites as far afield as Chilbolton, Hurn and Otterbourne if the scheme were to be rejected.