PEOPLE living near the Poolbrook entrance to QinetiQ in Malvern are opposing a housing development at the site's other entrance on St Andrew's Road.

They fear it will mean the Poolbrook gate will become the main entrance to the site, which employs 2,500 people.

Alan and Meg Winkles, of Britten Drive, are planning to hand a petition to Malvern Hills District Council's planning department. They have about 60 signatures so far.

QinetiQ's plan is to build 28 homes off St Andrew's Road, on land currently occupied by car parks and buildings, including the visitor centre.

Mr Winkles said: "If this is done, I think it's inevitable that the Poolbrook gate will become the main entrance.

"This will have a terrible impact on the roads around the gate and on Malvern Common. They'll have to widen them to accommodate all the traffic."

QinetiQ spokesman Ben White said the visitor centre would be moved to the Poolbrook gate, but said visitors accounted for only a small proportion of car movements.

"About 2,000 of our employees drive in each day and they can use whichever gate they want. Most of them use the St Andrew's Road gate and that won't change. We have on average 100 visitors a day - about 50 to 60 cars - and they will go to the Poolbrook gate. There will be no need for road improvements to deal with this increase."

Another QinetiQ housing plan, for the "barrack stores" behind Court Road, was the subject of a meeting on Wednesday evening when Chase ward district councillors visited the site to hear local people's objections.

Both plans are unlikely to come before MHDC's southern area development control committee before its May meeting.