Future development of Dibden Bay 'many years away' confirms Associated British Ports following concern over imminent planning application
DEVELOPMENT of Dibden Bay into a giant container terminal is “many years away”, Associated British Ports has said, amid pre-election warnings that a planning application for the controversial site could come within months.
As reported in the A&T, the company still has public ambitions to build a container terminal on the protected site between Marchwood and Hythe
It faced huge opposition locally a decade ago and the plans were eventually thrown out on environmental grounds after a 13-month public inquiry.
Now Totton and Marchwood councillor David Harrison, a Liberal Democrat, has predicted the scheme could be back as soon as the local elections are over in May, claiming ABP was buying up land on the Waterside.
Campaigning has already started for votes as the Conservatives defend their majority on New Forest District Council.
But ABP told the A&T its focus was on Marchwood military port – where it recently bought the operator, Solent Gateway Limited (SGL), contracted by the Ministry of Defence.
Parts of the Waterside have also been included in the Solent Freeport where planning and tax regimes are eased.
ABP said: “Whilst the adjacent Dibden Bay site does form part of the Solent Freeport, any potential development of the wider site is many years away and would be subject to planning at a future date.”
A spokesperson for NFDC stated its planning officers “have not been involved in any recent discussions regarding potential development at Dibden Bay and are not aware of any intention to submit a planning application”.
But Cllr Harrison said: “I think it is very clear that Associated British Ports have been steadily buying up parcels of land up and down the Waterside as part of a strategy of developing much of the coastline for port use.
“I think it highly likely that we will see a planning application for Dibden Bay submitted within the next year.
“It will be classed as a national infrastructure project and so the planning decision will not be taken by locally elected councillors but by a government that prioritises the economy over everything else.”
Cllr Harrison previously warned that adding Dibden Bay to the Solent Freeport put an environmentally sensitive site in “peril”.
ABP’s statement added: “SGL has planning permission for additional facilities on the site and ABP plans to invest in SGL to deliver these facilities.
“The approved plans for development will upgrade the port supporting current and new jobs for the local area and the Solent region.
“The development will also substantially upgrade Marchwood’s capabilities as a defence facility serving the Ministry of Defence.”
Solent Freeport, which includes areas in Marchwood, Fawley and Southampton, was among the first three nationally to be up and running in December and has been hailed by supporters as a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity for investment and thousands of jobs.