An MP has said we should make the most of the wind farm plan because his ‘gut feeling’ is that it will be built.

Tobias Ellwood was giving evidence to Bournemouth councillors who are assessing the potential impact on tourism.

He said: “The question is – how can we make the most of the situation?

His ‘blue sky’ suggestions included using the turbines’ legs to create a marina or a coral reef, or rigging the turbines with lights to create a ‘son et lumiere’ night-time show.

Mr Ellwood, MP for Bournemouth East, has met with developers Eneco and said he is favour of the government’s policy of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

However he said Eneco needed to provide more details and a cost benefit analysis of the power generated by various heights.

Mr Ellwood said a visit to Blackpool to see the Walney wind farm had tempered his fears over noise and height. The windfarm is about 22 miles (35 km) from Blackpool.

He said: “I was with some councillors and I asked if there was a fuss. They said ‘you would not believe it’.

I said ‘what about now?’. They said ‘absolutely nothing whatsoever’.”

Mr Ellwood was speaking to a Task and Finish group of councillors yesterday as they prepare a report on the wind farm’s potential effect on tourism.

He said he was concerned to hear many hoteliers were worried about the effect on the skyline.

But he noted that the wind turbines would be arranged in lines and would not present one large landmass like the Isle of Wight, whose height has been compared to that of the turbines.

Mr Elwood said the ‘feeling and mood’ in London was the plan would be approved. He said: “That doesn’t prevent us from trying to get the best deal if this is going to happen anyway.”