A barrister may be employed to represent Bromyard Town Council at a Unitary Development Plan inquiry in May.

The council is objecting to Herefordshire Council's proposal, contained in the plan, to build houses on the Porthouse estate.

At a planning committee meeting on Tuesday, members agreed to explore the cost of employing a barrister to argue their case.

An independent planning consultant will represent the council's views on the development plan in general, but councillors said a barrister would argue the Porthouse point to best effect.

Coun Nick Cronin said: "A barrister may be expensive but we wouldn't be serving the town's interests if we didn't have one."

Town councillors believe the Porthouse site is too close to existing industry to be suitable for housing.

Planning committee chairman David Cave said: "It's an unsatisfactory environment, with the noise and fumes."

The council is in favour of an alternative area of housing on the north-west outskirts of the town.

Bill Holden, owner of Holden Hydroman on the Porthouse estate, said he would back the council's objections to the Porthouse estate proposals.

"It's a thoroughly bad idea to have houses next to a paint plant," he said.

Mr Holden said that if housing were built, it was likely the factory would close.