ONE of the biggest environmental planning battles the South has ever seen was finally under way today.

The application to increase the capacity of Southampton docks on to Dibden Bay was at last submitted this morning.

But although the arguments for and against the Associated British Port's expansion plans have already been aired, the submission of the planning application will certainly fuel the row between local residents, environmentalists and business leaders.

Campaigners fighting to stop the container port warn that, as well as being unnecessary, the new port would harm the character of Southampton Water and The Solent.

Residents Against Dibden Bay chairman Paul Vickers said there is existing space in other ports to cope with increasing demand.

He explained: "There is unused capacity at both Thamesport and Harwich. In addition, 300 per cent of the traffic into Southampton container port is P&O's own traffic.

"It owns 51 per cent of Southampton Docks and 100 per cent of Shell Haven.

"So why would P&O leave its traffic in Southampton and share the profits with ABP when it can take it to Shell Haven and have 100 per cent"

Mr Vickers also feels the arrival in recent years of the Dibden Bay project is an unfair imposition on the 16,000 homes in the Hythe and Dibden and Marchwood areas.

New Forest East MP Dr Julian Lewis said the scheme would "have a devastating effect on the quality of life of my constituents".

ABP would have to prove there was an overwhelming need for the port.

Dr Lewis added: "It will not be able prove that because the new port development at Shell Haven in Essex will be capable of absorbing any requirement for additional capacity for many years to come."

New Forest Friends of the Earth spokesperson Julie Astin warned: "The effect on people in the region will be devastating.

A massive £1.3 billion pours into the local economy each year from Southampton Docks and 10,000 jobs rely on the continuing success of the port but all this will be in danger if Dibden Bay is not built, warns ABP.

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