THE fire in the scrap metal loading area of the docks would be just a stone’s throw from where a new biomass energy plant is being proposed.

Campaigners against the plan by the Helius firm, said the fire demonstrated the risk to businesses and homes who would be living in close proximity to a highly combustible operation.

Yesterday afternoon planners met to decide whether to give the go ahead to a fresh consultation.

As smoke from the fire at the docks blew around the civic centre campaigners from the No Southampton Biomass urged them to think again.

Steve Galton said: “The one thing we are asking, which is particularly ironic as there is a massive fire at the scrap metal yard at the moment, is what would happen and what would the impact be on residents living on its doorstep, if there was a large scale fire at the biomass?”

Mark Spellman, from No Southampton Biomass, said: “This is just an example of what could happen is there was a biomass plant on the site. What we have here is metal that has caught fire, yet they are proposing to store wood on the area. If metal can catch fire so easily just imagine what would happen if it was wood.”

Southampton City Council's planning committee requested that contingency measures in the event of a major fire at the plant should be made clear by Helius during the consultation exhibitions, which were approved.