ONE of the MPs opposing the Navitus Bay wind farm development has called for greater transparency as the planning process moves to its final stage.

As reported in the Daily Echo, the Planning Inspectorate has now made its recommendation on whether to permit or refuse the scheme, which the developers recently confirmed would see 121 turbines at 200 metres high - or 78 if a scaled-down option is chosen - to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Amber Rudd.

She now has until September 11 to make a decision on the turbines, which would be situated 13 miles out to sea from Bournemouth and Poole and nine from Swanage.

However, the recommendation that was made on Thursday will not be made public until the final decision is made in three months' time - something that Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns has taken issue with.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Burns called on the Leader of the House "to make time for a debate to be had on the appropriateness of the decision being withheld until publication by the Secretary of State in September".

As reported by the Daily Echo, Bournemouth Borough Council has taken the deadline passing as an opportunity to launch a fresh campaign against the plans.

It claims that the wind farm could cost the area's economy up to £6.3 billion, with the loss of more than 4,000 jobs. The town’s tourism industry would be especially threatened, it said.

An Adjournment Debate on the issue is to be held in Parliament on Monday, called by South Dorset MP Richard Drax.

In Parliament, Mr Burns asked whether it was "appropriate that this proposal will remain confidential until the Secretary of State publishes her decision on September 11?".

Chris Grayling MP, Leader of the House of Commons, said: "It is a sign of the concern that there is an adjournment debate that has been called on Monday by the Honourable Member for South Dorset. I know he will probably wish to make a point in that as well.

"I have no doubt the Secretary of State will have listened carefully to what he has said, but of course she has to do this job properly in her role in assessing these issues.”

Navitus Bay Development Ltd, which is a joint venture between French energy giant EDF and Dutch firm Eneco, has said that it has every confidence in its proposals, which it claims will inject £1.62 billion into the area's economy and create "at least" 1,700 jobs.

Supporters, such as East Dorset Friends of the Earth, have said that councils need to get behind renewable energy.