A deadline has been set for councillors to comment about plans to bring production of the world's most prestigious car to Sussex.

BMW, which owns Rolls-Royce, wants to build 1,000 cars a year at a purpose-built factory close to Goodwood airfield, near Chichester.

The company also wants to build an administrative headquarters as part of a £200 million scheme which could create 300 jobs.

Chichester District Council will ultimately decide the application.

The plan will face its first test when it goes in front of West Sussex County Council's planning applications sub-committee, which will then advise the district on whether to grant permission.

County councillors have been given until Friday to submit their views on the scheme, which has been criticised by countryside campaigners, although the factory would be partly buried.

If approved, the plant will open in 2003. A new Rolls-Royce model has been designed to mark the opening and the first car due off the production line has already been sold.