THE brewery chief behind controversial plans to move to a green field near Bishop's Waltham has said there is nowhere else to go.

David Butcher, director of Upham Brewery, defended expansion which could see the firm move from Stakes Farm to a meadow on the outskirts of the town.

Video by Henry Nixon

As previously reported, the proposed move has angered residents who say it will depress house prices and further endanger the busy Winchester Road.

Speaking to the Hampshire Chronicle at a public consultation on Thursday, Mr Brewer said: "We know it's going to be contentious, but we've been searching for 18 months to find a suitable site.

"We wouldn't be taking the most difficult route if there was an alternative."

Brewery bosses say the proposed site will let them access the area's water - vital to the beer's taste - and maintain their local identity.

The road will see 54 journeys a day from lorries carrying beer, boosting output from 12,000 to 60,000 casks a year.