OBJECTIONS and concerns over the controversial Navitus Bay wind park are set to be discussed at a special meeting at Christchurch council on Monday.

An extraordinary meeting of the full council will meet to discuss the plans for the wind park proposed for the Dorset and Hampshire coast, with members being recommended to formally object.

The scheme, which could see up to 194 turbines as high as 200 metres, has many critics, including opposition groups, Poole and Christchurch Bays Association and Challenge Navitus.

But East Dorset Friends of the Earth are in support of the scheme and have hit out at scaremongering, calling some of the arguments against the plan “alarmist”.

Part of Christchurch council’s response to the latest round of consultation will focus on the turbine location, impact on the borough’s coastal, urban and marine landscapes and the visual impact.

In a report due to go before the committee next week, the council says they want the planning inspectorate to give more consideration over whether siting turbines further offshore will reduce the visual impact on the coast.

They are also urging them to think about the effect on the characteristics and qualities of the coast and inland areas of Christchurch.

Concerns are likely to be raised about the change in the views across Christchurch Bay and Harbour and to what degree they will be affected.

Onshore impacts could include tree felling at Hurn Forest and Avon Common Plantation, and the council will also urge the Planning Inspectorate to ask for detail about how this will be dealt with to minimise the local impact.

A residents’ survey on the plans showed that 91 per cent of people who responded were against the proposal.

Cllr Margaret Phipps, portfolio holder for the environment said: “As you can see from the report there is a significant impact on the borough of Christchurch, not only in coastal views but also on-shore.

“We have quite a considerable chunk of the six cable trenches that will be coming through sensitive sites in the Avon Valley.”