PLANS to convert a business unit at an Ascot industrial park have been met with opposition from neighbours.

A proposal to change the use of unit three in Kings Ride Park from storage and distribution to research and development and light industrial use has been put forward to Bracknell Forest Council by synthetic diamond supermaterials company, Element Six, who already operate from units two and four at the industrial estate.

The plans, to be heard at a planning meeting on Thursday evening (March 24), would see the insertion of three flues into the roof, an extension to the existing plant area to the back of units two and four, an extension to the existing gas cylinder storage area and an extension to the electricity substation.

However, residents of neighbouring roads, have criticised the project which they claims flout green belt policies as the impact of the change of use would be 'materially greater' than its present use A letter submitted by the chairman of the Kings Ride Residents Association, Andrew Trapnell, reads: "This application has caused concerns for a number of our members both for the potential breach of the planning rules and for environmental/amenity issues likely to be caused by noise based on the prospective use of the site.

"We believe this application conflicts with the policies because its impact on the open rural and undeveloped character of the green belt will be materially greater than the present use. It will also have an adverse environmental impact and cannot be considered appropriate to a rural area.

"Since the original change of use in Kings Ride Park, which was approved for Element 6, residents have suffered noise issues from its ventilation equipment and have been concerned about the type of equipment in use at that site in such close proximity to residents.

"Further, the units currently creating this noise face away from the houses in Prince Consort Drive, whereas unit three directly borders the properties in Prince Consort Drive."

He also argued no noise readings of the rear gardens of those directly backing onto unit three have been included in the council's acoustic report and that other noise readings were taken during the day when background noise is at its greatest.

The Society for the Protection of Ascot and Environs also argued that Element Six has already been the subject of a number of complaints regarding its 'noisy externally sited equipment'.

A letter from member Stewart McDougall added that as Element Six is now by far the 'major employer' at the park, it cannot be described as a 'small scale business' and makes its 'proposed scale and type of activity inappropriate to operate in a rural environment'.