SOUTHAMPTON port chief Jimmy Chestnutt was questioned on the Dibden Bay dock scheme by environment chiefs yesterday.

Capt Chestnutt, of Associated British Ports, said the proposal to build six new container berths was vital to the port's future.

Container trade was growing fast and Southampton needed to be able to compete with its European rivals.

Members of the Hampshire area group of the Environment Agency, meeting in Winchester, discussed the agency's response to the scheme. The deadline for responses is November 12.

Ted Grant, of the Council for the Protection of Rural England, asked whether it was necessary for Southampton to "shoulder the burden of expansion".

Mr Chestnutt replied: "As long as we wish to import and export there will be demand for container traffic. These boxes will enter somewhere."

George Howe said he feared the proposal would open up the New Forest to further development.

Mr Chestnutt said ABP had spent years working on its scheme producing documents with 15,000 pages of supporting evidence. He said he thought the scheme would win approval as it clearly demonstrates the need outweighs the impact.

But Dr Phil Henderson, a Hythe Marina resident, said: "There is no need for this port. Dibden Bay is unnecessary. We think ABP is being arrogant on a grand scale. The price in environmental terms is totally outrageous."