Crown Estate plans to build a huge off-shore wind farm on England's only World Heritage Site have infuriated locals, who say they were not consulted.
The methods used by the organisation that runs Sovereign-owned land have been described as "by-passing democracy".
If built, the plans could see 100 giant turbines put ten miles out to sea off the Dorset coast - part of the famous UN-designated World Heritage "Jurassic" coastline.
Now, in a rare move, the affected local authorities have released a joint statement panning the Crown Estate.
Bournemouth Borough Council only found out about the wind farm because an officer had a meeting with a company that was bidding for the contract.
Original plans would have seen the turbines put up to the west of Dorset, but the location was apparently only recently changed in a Strategic Environmental Assessment.
Not only were elected representatives not informed of the move, the Poole Harbour Commissioners board was also kept in the dark.
Cllr Nick King, a Conservative cabinet member at Bournemouth Borough Council, said: "They are really by-passing democracy by not consulting the councils.
"They have shown complete disregard for the hundreds of thousands of people who will be affected.
"The only reason we found out was because an officer happened to have a meeting with a company that was bidding for the contract.
"He came back and told us that plans were quite advanced and that is why the councils got together and released a joint statement.
"They clearly didn't want to consult us so they could go away then present it as a "fait accompli".
"There is supposed to be a consultation going on but you'd have thought the first people they would consult are the local authorities.
"This is not to say that we wouldn't support it because it would be good for the economy.
"But there are environmental concerns and it might affect tourism and fishing - and of course it is on a World Heritage Site.
"When it was first announced last year the area was supposed to be to the west of the county near Lyme Regis, but that location changed to Poole bay very recently."
Cllr Brian Leverett, leader of Borough of Poole council, said the news had come as a shock.
He said: "This is very poor consultation indeed. This is not a minor development, it's a major proposal and a very controversial one.
"I think the government has fallen far short of the standards of consultation we have a right to expect from them.
"We are elected to represent the people of Poole - how can we do that if we don't even know what is possibly being proposed right on our doorstep."
Part of the statement from Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and Purbeck councils stated: "...we are collectively disappointed that no approach appears to have been made by The Crown Estate to either advise us of these plans or seek our views and the views of local residents, partners and businesses."
It concludes: "We would therefore ask Crown Estates to ensure that the consultation they have started includes direct discussion with us and ensures that the views of local people, partners and industry, are taken into account."
Richard Lacey, chairman of Poole Harbour Commissioners board, said "We would expect to be a consultee on proposals that major.
"While we don't have jurisdiction as such, plans that have any effect on lanes coming in and out of the port is something we would make comment on.
"I would imagine 100 turbines would cover quite a big area. Ultimately it would need to be marked on charts with an exclusion zone around it to warn ships."
A Crown Estate spokesman played down the plans and said consultation was not due to start until the developer had been chosen, which would happen by the autumn.
She added that bidders would submit the exact location they wished to build the wind farm in - within a large zone identified off the Dorset coast.
She said: "There's nothing really to say at this stage. Everything is subject to the developers' research.
"The Crown Estate identified an area of coast off Dorset that we thought would be good for a wind farm.
"We are receiving applications from developers and when we haven chosen a developer the consultation will start.
"At the moment there is nothing to consult about."
She said the number of turbines and the cost was unknown at present and the zone off the Dorset coast was one of several around Britain.
Any construction would start in 2014 and it could be in operation by 2018. Applications are due in by March 3.
If built, the plans could see 100 giant turbines put ten miles out to sea off the Dorset coast - part of the famous UN-designated World Heritage "Jurassic" coastline.
Now, in a rare move, the affected local authorities have released a joint statement panning the Crown Estate.
Bournemouth Borough Council only found out about the wind farm because an officer had a meeting with a company that was bidding for the contract.
Original plans would have seen the turbines put up to the west of Dorset, but the location was apparently only recently changed in a Strategic Environmental Assessment.
Not only were elected representatives not informed of the move, the Poole Harbour Commissioners board was also kept in the dark.
Cllr Nick King, a Conservative cabinet member at Bournemouth Borough Council, said: "They are really by-passing democracy by not consulting the councils.
"They have shown complete disregard for the hundreds of thousands of people who will be affected.
"The only reason we found out was because an officer happened to have a meeting with a company that was bidding for the contract.
"He came back and told us that plans were quite advanced and that is why the councils got together and released a joint statement.
"They clearly didn't want to consult us so they could go away then present it as a "fait accompli".
"There is supposed to be a consultation going on but you'd have thought the first people they would consult are the local authorities.
"This is not to say that we wouldn't support it because it would be good for the economy.
"But there are environmental concerns and it might affect tourism and fishing - and of course it is on a World Heritage Site.
"When it was first announced last year the area was supposed to be to the west of the county near Lyme Regis, but that location changed to Poole bay very recently."
Cllr Brian Leverett, leader of Borough of Poole council, said the news had come as a shock.
He said: "This is very poor consultation indeed. This is not a minor development, it's a major proposal and a very controversial one.
"I think the government has fallen far short of the standards of consultation we have a right to expect from them.
"We are elected to represent the people of Poole - how can we do that if we don't even know what is possibly being proposed right on our doorstep."
Part of the statement from Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and Purbeck councils stated: "...we are collectively disappointed that no approach appears to have been made by The Crown Estate to either advise us of these plans or seek our views and the views of local residents, partners and businesses."
It concludes: "We would therefore ask Crown Estates to ensure that the consultation they have started includes direct discussion with us and ensures that the views of local people, partners and industry, are taken into account."
Richard Lacey, chairman of Poole Harbour Commissioners board, said "We would expect to be a consultee on proposals that major.
"While we don't have jurisdiction as such, plans that have any effect on lanes coming in and out of the port is something we would make comment on.
"I would imagine 100 turbines would cover quite a big area. Ultimately it would need to be marked on charts with an exclusion zone around it to warn ships."
A Crown Estate spokesman played down the plans and said consultation was not due to start until the developer had been chosen, which would happen by the autumn.
She added that bidders would submit the exact location they wished to build the wind farm in - within a large zone identified off the Dorset coast.
She said: "There's nothing really to say at this stage. Everything is subject to the developers' research.
"The Crown Estate identified an area of coast off Dorset that we thought would be good for a wind farm.
"We are receiving applications from developers and when we haven chosen a developer the consultation will start.
"At the moment there is nothing to consult about."
She said the number of turbines and the cost was unknown at present and the zone off the Dorset coast was one of several around Britain.
Any construction would start in 2014 and it could be in operation by 2018. Applications are due in by March 3.
Source: The Daily Telegraph
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