HONEYBOURNE residents are "scared to death" that they are completely helpless to stop building work on the airfield industrial estate that will cause increased traffic in the village.

An application has been made to construct three new buildings, including a storage and distribution unit on the airfield site, which is already home to a number of businesses.

But it is the likely traffic issues that will come from the construction work that concern residents in Honeybourne and neighbouring villages, not the structure itself.

The matter has been a longstanding one with Wychavon District Council and began in 2003. It has come to light again now, because an Environmental Statement has been finalised, which found there would be no significant harmful environmental effects resulting from the scheme.

Parish clerk John Stedman said: "The likely traffic increase to our and neighbouring villages is the main issue for most residents.

"But in order to help to resist the application we need the support of the public and parish councils.

"The council may not be aware that a large number of lorries already use the back roads around the villages and an increase in that number would surely mean that the sheer number of HGV's using the road would create an environmental issue.

"We are all scared to death that the application will be passed and we will not be able to do anything about it."

Tony Bateman, who is representing applicants the Johnson Brothers, said the company was creating more employment on site and in the area.

He said: "The site will be getting a revamp as well as the new building work taking place so we will be creating a lot more employment in the area.

"We have carried out the environmental assessment and we will be making some adjustments to the area such as additional landscaping as this is an issue we take seriously."

The decision on the plan is likely to be taken at a meeting of Wychavon's development control committee in the spring due to the size of the application.

Wychavon planning officer Jonathan Edwards said: "We have been assessing a lot more information which has come forward in recent weeks.

"We will also be taking into account the impact of any additional HGV movements that would result from the plans going ahead," he said.