A FIGHT against a proposed waste incinerator has stepped up.

On Wednesday last week residents from Longparish, Barton Stacey, Andover, Whitchurch and as far afield as Winchester met to talk details of the Keep Test Valley Beautiful campaign.

Around 50 people packed into Longparish Village Hall to offer their skills in a bid to stop US company Wheelabrator from building a waste-to-energy facility on vacant land owned by Raymond Brown near A303.

Andy Joliffe, who is one of those spearheading the campaign said: “We had people who have obviously got an industry background and experience through to people who have a special focus on public relations and media and other people saying we have got time and are happy to help with administration — whatever it takes.

“The first thing is to build up awareness and membership of the group.”

The group is also hoping to carry out surveys and use their skills to make sure their voices are heard in the run-up to the second round of public consultation expected in September.

“There is clearly a huge public concern, it is now for the campaign group to tap into that,” Mr Joliffe added.

It is not only the older members of the community who are having their say on the plans, as pupils from Chaffinch Class at Longparish CE School have written letters to express their views.

Through their letters the children have highlighted concerns over the environment, health issues, traffic and noise pollution.

Millie, aged 10, said: “It will ruin the tranquil countryside and our beautiful area with chirping birds and blowing wind. All of that may be replaced by the constant buzzing of the incinerator.”

Lauren, aged nine, wrote after visiting the exhibition in the village: “One man that I asked about the badgers and he said ‘we will move all the badgers to a different place if they’re in the way.’ This is unbelievably bad because all animals should stay in their rightful habitats.”

And Olivia, aged 10, said that she was concerned about the fumes coming from the planned 90 to 100 metres tall chimney stacks.

“These are supposedly going to be safe - how can Wheelabrator be so sure? These fumes could affect both wildlife and people — especially some that already suffer with problems such as asthma.”

Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) and Hampshire County Council (HCC) have lodged their response to Wheelabrator’s scoping report and while on some points the authorities agree with the company, others are argued against.

TVBC has proposed that a heritage appraisal would need to be submitted to consider the “visual impact of both the buildings and towers on the setting of the historic environment.”

And it has suggested that a 1km study area, proposed by Wheelabrator, should be extended to consider the impact of the development.

It has also highlighted the environmental impact, including the plume from the stacks in various weather conditions and lighting.

Meanwhile HCC states that the American firm has not detailed the need for the site “in terms of waste capacity requirements both on a local and regional level,” it has called for justification of the plan.

And the authority has said that the company’s ecological survey does not include protected species, including bat populations associated with the River Test and River Dever.

The Planning Inspectorate is expected to now collate all responses from consultees before releasing its on report.