CHESHIRE -- Westfield Meriden mall has apparently hired environmental experts to gather information for a possible legal action against a company seeking to build an upscale shopping center in Cheshire's north end.

During a site walk of the property by the town's Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission on Saturday, two professional wetlands scientists working for REMA Environmental Services of Manchester said they had been hired by a Westfield attorney to provide environmental reports as part of a possible intervention, or lawsuit, by the international property group.

Westfield Meriden is five miles from the shopping center proposed by W/S Development of Chestnut Hill, Mass. W/S is seeking approval for a 500,000-square-foot shopping center in the interchange zone, north of Interstate 691 and west of Route 10.

REMA owner George Logan took notes and photos during the 1½-hour site walk. He identified himself as "a hired gun, so to speak, for a possible intervenor. I'll get the lay of the land."

Sigrun Gadwa, of Cheshire, who is a consultant for REMA, said the environmental firm had been hired by attorney John Knuff of Milford, who represents Westfield.

Knuff would not confirm that Westfield had hired REMA and directed questions to Westfield's U.S headquarters in Los Angeles. No one there returned a call seeking information Monday.

In April, Knuff's firm submitted a number of documents during a public hearing of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Attorney Lewis Hurwitz said at the time the team would suggest alternative methods to encourage development in the interchange zone.

The planning commission in early July approved a zone text change application from W/S to allow residential and retail uses in the interchange zone. Several local attorneys thought Westfield would file an intervention after that approval.

However, on July 20, W/S submitted its next round of applications, including a request for a wetlands permit and project plans for the development. It appears that Westfield could be gearing up to appeal those applications, according to an attorney who asked not to be named.

An intervenor must have "standing" to appeal a decision by a planning commission. One definition of standing found in state statues addresses potential environmental damage to property.

The statute allows a party to intervene if "development of a property may have the effect of unreasonably polluting, impairing or destroying the public trust in the air, water or natural resources of the state."

Gadwa said there have been at least eight confirmed sightings of wood turtles in the flood plain of the Ten Mile River, the watercourse that flows through the proposed development. Wood turtles are a species of special concern, as listed by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The inland wetlands panely will hold a public hearing on the W/S application for a wetlands permit on Sept. 4. The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold its meeting on the project plan on Sept. 24.