Plans for a £500-million deep-sea container terminal at Bristol's Avonmouth docks – which will bring 1,500 new jobs – are about to come under the spotlight at a public inquiry.

The Bristol Port Company says there are currently nine objectors – mostly environmentalists – but it is planning moves that should help answer their concerns.

Meanwhile, local people and businesses are already welcoming the project, says ward councillor Spud Murphy.

It will create and secure jobs not only at the docks themselves, but for local hauliers and other businesses, too, Mr Murphy believes.

He told the Post: "Building work and shipping will benefit as well and it will secure the future of the port."

A public inquiry will open at Kings Weston House, in Kingsweston Lane, on January 20.

A pre-inquiry meeting will be held at the same venue on Wednesday at 10am.

The Secretary of State for Transport has appointed lawyer Christopher Tipping as independent inspector to hear from objectors and anyone who wants to comment on their objections.

The Bristol Port Company directly employs 600 people but indirectly supports jobs for around 7,660 workers in haulage, crane driving, gantry operators, boatmen, tugs and pilots operators and warehouse staff.

It has applied to the Department for Transport for permission to change the nature of the docks.

The massive project should be complete by 2013.

Bristol's port – which includes the Avonmouth and Royal Portbury docks – is 15th in a list of the most important ports in the country, in terms of the tonnage dealt with.

The new terminal could almost double the tonnage handled and would elevate the port to top 10 status.

It would mean the company could deal with the biggest container ships, rather than being limited to medium-sized vessels which use its bays.

The construction of the terminal will involve six main projects. These are:

Reclaiming part of the shore and bed of the River Severn at Avonmouth Docks, to build the giant new quay.

Filling in an area of land to build access roads, drainage, warehouses and a container yard.

A curved breakwater around 600 metres long, heading north-west into the River Severn, with a road along the top.

A double-track railway heading north -ast and joining up with the existing rail line.

A new rail terminal with parking and storage yards.

Filling in more land to accommodate the railway.

The company is also asking the Government for permission to remove parts of the existing oil jetty, take out and put in permanent and temporary pipelines, dredge parts of the river bed to build foundations, landscape and build jetties needed for the work.

It wants permission to take water for the project from the rivers Severn and Avon, as well as permission to discharge surface water back in.

The new port was reported earlier this year to have faced some objections from environmentalists who are concerned about the loss of coastline next to Avonmouth, which provides an ideal habitat for birds such as oystercatchers.

Mr Kearon said efforts were being made to tackle these and other concerns.

He said the company was in the process of acquiring land elsewhere in the Severn estuary near Bristol as an alternative habitat.