A battle is brewing over the National Capital Commission's plans to develop part of the city's Greenbelt.

The land spans between Uplands Drive and the Airport Parkway in the city's south end.

The NCC outlined its plans for the area at a public meeting last night. Area residents showed up to give it the thumbs-down.

The land in question is covered with low-lying vegetation with part of it being designated as a wetland.

It's a place where people enjoy the outdoors. However, it could one day be home to a group of high-tech workers.

The NCC wants to build four office buildings on the land.

Ottawa Greenspace Alliance vice-chair, Bill Royds, joined dozens of other residents at the meeting to voice his disapproval of the plan.

"If you develop gardens which are full of pesticides, full of things that get into the water supply, it drives everything else out," says Royds.

Royds says protecting and not developing, that land should be the NCC's goal.

Diane Deans agrees. She's the councillor for the Gloucester-Southgate ward.

"The NCC was the one that created the Greenbelt and now it wants to chop it and cut it up and hive it off and do away with it one piece at a time," says Deans.

She says there are under-used industrialized areas of the city that would be more appropriate for a business park.

NCC officials maintain the development reflects the city's official plan. That careful study will ensure the wetland is preserved and no harm is done to vegetation or wildlife.

The public will have another chance to have its say before the NCC makes an application to the city in the spring.