MORE than 100 letters objecting to plans for the former naval explosives depot at Dean Hill to be brought back into use have been sent to Test Valley planners.

The depot was closed in 2004 and its new owner, Harving Limited, has asked Test Valley Borough Council for permission to change the use of its buildings to light industrial and office activity.

It also wants the 24 tunnels under Dean Hill - previously used for armament storage - to be used commercially for storage and distribution.

But a report to be considered by the council's Southern area planning committee on Tuesday reveals that there have been 101 letters of objection to the light industrial and office use of the buildings and 100 to the storage and distribution use of the tunnels.

Their warnings range from a potential for more barn owns to be killed on the roads to a lack of guarantees over any storage of hazardous materials.

On the use of the buildings, West Tytherley and West Dean Parish Councils have not objected in principle, but have expressed their concerns over the potential for increased noise and have asked for a restriction on delivery times and an assurance that noise levels will be kept to a minimum.

East Dean Parish Council has objected, however, over such issues as traffic generation, a lack of demand or "foreseeable local benefit" and unrestricted working hours.

The letters also concentrate heavily on the potential for increased traffic on the country roads and recall that when it was an armament depot, the munitions were kept there long-term with a limited number of vehicle movements and some of the really heavy hardware being brought in by train.

As well as warning that there could be damage to the quality of life in the area, more fatal accidents on the roads and more potholes in the roads, they also suggest a need to return the site to the Green Belt "rather than an ugly concrete pile".

The response to the use of the tunnels is similar and also warns of "a blight to West Dean" and a need for large industrial estates to be sited close to large built-up areas and major road links. But with the ue of the site having previously been established by the Ministry of Defence, an officers' report recommends conditional approval.

It concludes: "The proposed reuse of the bunkers complies with planning guidance and local policies and will have no new demonstrable harm to the character and appearance of the area, highway safety and residential amenities different to that experienced when the site was in use by the MoD".

Advertisement consent for proposed signs at the site entrance is also recommended.