HE Green Party’s assertion (Daily Echo, June 18) that the Navitus Bay wind farm would boost Bournemouth’s tourism cannot go unchallenged. Where is the evidence?

Bournemouth’s opposition to Navitus Bay has never been about the pros or cons of renewable or green energy.

The argument is about the industrialisation of our beautiful natural environment and the inappropriate siting of a wind farm that will dramatically impact on a really sensitive environment and a tourism economy which is reliant upon it.

6.7 million tourists largely choose to visit Bournemouth because of our beautiful unspoilt natural setting.

There is no comparable seaside resort in the UK which has had a vast wind farm placed alongside it. To date the planning process has avoided building offshore wind farms close to areas of special beauty, sensitive coasts and thriving tourism centres.

All the evidence available points to a severe decline in tourism if the wind farm is approved.

The unspoilt view out to sea is crucial to Bournemouth’s tourism appeal.

The Dorset coast is a unique proposition and incomparable to any other UK seaside setting.

Offshore wind farms have to date avoided such sensitive areas.

On the evidence of a Centre for Social Justice report, it is those struggling seaside resorts such as Margate that tend to benefit from wind farms as a way of boosting tourism, or resorts such as Blackpool whose main tourism appeal is theme park based where man made structures such as wind turbines fit in.

Bournemouth is Britain’s premier seaside resort and we want it to stay that way.

CLLR JOHN BEESLEY

Leader of Bournemouth council