Dorset planning committee opposes Navitus Bay

UK: Proposals for Navitus Bay, the 970MW offshore project off England's south coast, have been rejected by Dorset county council's planning committee.

A rendering of how the Navitus Bay development would look from Bournemouth

The committee expressed concerns over the "light pollution" and affects to wildlife in its reasons to object, adding that more evidence was needed to show its benefits.

Committee members also raised objections to onshore transmission plans for the project.

Dorset county council will meet to discuss the recommendation by the committee and consider its response to the plans.

It will then be submitted to the national government's Planning Inspectorate, which will make a decision on whether to allow the project to proceed.

There appears to have been a strong anti-wind campaign on the Dorset coast, with strong objections repeatedly being raised.

The local MP, Richard Drax, said in December the Navitus Bay development would "threaten our precious, Unesco world heritage site designation" — a claim that has since been rejected by Unesco.