A NURSERY School owner said yesterday that he could not understand why the residents of Michelmersh were trying to keep him out of their town.

Alan and Carole Moon, pictured, who own Manor Nursery School in Kings Somborne, want to construct a 30-place centre on land they own in Michelmersh.

"We've run a nursery school for about ten years, it's been part of our home," Mr Moon said.

"We now want to create a separate home and business for ourselves."

Mr Moon said he was surprised that Test Valley Borough Council had received more than 40 letters from Michelmersh residents against the application.

"There's not actually a disturbance, it's a perception not an actual thing," he said.

"If you're going to educate the next generation about the value of the countryside, what better place to do it than the countryside."

The appeal to the non-determination by Test Valley Borough Council's is scheduled to be held at Romsey Town Hall on Thursday, March 1.