A SITE earmarked for a diesel power plant, withdrawn in the face local objections, should be used for greener energy generation, say councillors and environmentalists.

As reported yesterday, people power forced Peak Gen Power to withdraw their application for 20 megawatt generator on land next to Southern Water’s waste water treatment plant at Western Avenue in Southampton docks.

The company dropped their application because they did not wish to “cause discord” with the community.

Southern Water said yesterday they had no alternative plan for the site.

But Southampton city councillor Andrew Pope said: “It’s got to be something that doesn’t impact on the already poor air quality. Maybe a solar farm, for example.

“The thing that needs to happen is that residents need to be consulted on things to do with air quality.

“Residents didn’t know about it and I didn’t know about it.

"They need to be mindful of its appearance as well rather than treating it as an industrial site.

“The lack of consultation need to change.”

And Chris Hinds, vice-chairman of the Western Docks Consultation Forum, who said: “Solar panels could help power the treatment works. It could help them cut down costs.

"The site isn’t big enough for industry and not good for vehicle access.”

But environmental campaigners said a solar farm was unlikely on the site.

Colin MacQueen, from Freemantle, co-founder of Clean Air Southampton, said: “It’s probably not suitable for solar, maybe they could put a wind turbine up.

“If the government can subsidise micro-diesel-generators they could put money into solar for factories and warehouses?

“Maybe the site could be an energy storage facility, a super-big storage battery, for solar power generated nearby. I think they could use the large buildings in the docks and the city to put solar panels.”

Southampton planning chief councillor Mike Dennes said whatever was planned for the docks land had to be approved by local residents.

He added: “It’s difficult to say what I’d like to see at this site.

“I’d have to consider the benefits, mitigation and impact on noise pollution and air quality on my local residents whose concerns are paramount.”

A spokeswoman for the site owner Southern Water said they had no immediate plans for the land.

The spokeswoman added: “We’re installing a new engine at our existing combined heat and power (CHP) plant at Millbrook this winter.

“This will increase the amount of renewable energy already produced at the site.”

Southern Water now has 16 plants at sites across the region and 16.5 per cent its energy now comes from renewable sources.