AN environmental coalition is set to ask the government to call in or challenge the planning consent granted for a waste incinerator at Hurn.

On Tuesday last week BCP planning councillors voted 9-4 in favour of the controversial scheme put forward at Chapel Lane by Eco Sustainable Solutions.

More than 700 objections were lodged.

But the plan still has to get ministerial approval because it is in the green belt.

Now angry campaigners who feel the planners disregarded their concerns and significant details relating to pollution and contamination, are taking the fight Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Christchurch resident Mel Carrington, an environmental consultant and member of the BCP Climate Action Network said: "It's quite rare for the government to grant this kind of request, so it's a tough ask.

"However we believe there was an inadequate weighing up of the costs and benefits by the committee, and you need very special circumstances to bypass the green belt considerations."

The coalition also includes Greenpeace, Save Our Shoes and Zero Carbon Dorset.

Ms Carrington said incineration was being touted as a low carbon option but it was not.

And she added: "The health fears for the nearby Portfield School and the wider community are very well founded. Unborn babies and children are especially at risk."

Ken Cownden, of Autism Unlimited which operates Portfield said: "The nine members supporting the application I felt were prompted by the chairman to disregard the details put forward in objection by myself and all others.

He added the committee had stated the overall management proposals for waste within the region, outweighed the risk and actual health and other risks to the population at large and in particular the pupils of Portfield.

The Echo understands that BCP planning officers are holding up the issuance of the consent pending the request to the government.

Ward councillor, Margaret Phipps, said: "There appeared to be no acknowledgement whatsoever of the 719 objections, which must be a record amount for an application.

"I noted that only Bournemouth and Poole councillors voted to grant, clearly they are not interested in the views of the residents of Christchurch.

"I hope that the Secretary of State will take into account the volume and content of those objections."

Cllr Felicity Rice warned: "The particles released from the planned incinerator are so small that they act like air molecules – they will pass through all the filter systems they are proposing."