AN ENVIRONMENTAL protection group is preparing to fend off plans for another gravel pit on the mineral-rich seams in the south of the New Forest.

New Milton Sand and Ballast is currently digging gravel at Lower Pennington.

Now the company has submitted plans to extract gravel at a 40-acre greenfield site at Downton Manor Farm between the A337 Christchurch Road and the holiday accommodation complex at Shorefield Country Park, Downton.

The company wants to dig 150,000 tonnes of sand and gravel a year for six years.

Jim Sey, the chairman of Downton and Milford Against Gravel Extraction (Damage), said 12 months ago 800 people objected to a concrete and brick recycling plant being constructed at the same site.

That application is currently on hold.

Now Mr Sey says: "We're going for well in excess of 1,000 objections this time, and we believe we will get it."

Damage is concerned about the noise and dust caused by tracked excavators and other heavy vehicles moving around the site, plus the risk of flooding in Milford from water running off the site and into the Danes Stream.

Mr Sey says Milford traders rely on tourism to keep the village economy buoyant.

"Who is going to want to come to a gravel pit for their holidays?" he said.

Although New Milton Sand and Ballast says it will restore the site with lakes, woodland and agricultural fields, Mr Sey believes there could be the possibility of an application for a landfill site at a later date.

Colin Tieche lives opposite the proposed pit. He claims 60 lorry movements a day onto the narrow stretch of the A337 between the Downton crossroads and the bends near his home would make an accident blackspot worse.

Peter Chadwick, case officer at Hampshire County Council minerals department, said gravel pits have to be provided. "The issue is whether this is a proper site for it," he added.

The latest date for representations to the county council about the plan is November 19.

First published: September 15