FAMILIES living on the edge of the New Forest have hit out at the latest plans for a £300m power station on the opposite side of Southampton Water.
Proposals to construct a biomass plant in the Western Docks came under fire at a public exhibition in Marchwood, which is directly opposite the proposed site.
Critics complained that the 20- acre complex would ruin their views across the water.
They listed the large number of industrial sites already operating in the Marchwood area and claimed it had become a dumping ground for unwanted development.
However, applicants Helius Energy defended the scheme, saying it was smaller than the previous proposal and would have less impact on people living nearby.
The facility would burn up to 800,000 tonnes of waste wood products a year.
About 450 jobs would be created during the 30-month construction period, plus another 40 at the plant and 60 elsewhere in Southampton once it was up and running.
Electricity generated by the building – enough to power 200,000 homes – would be sold to the National Grid.
Helius has redesigned the scheme following an avalanche of objections to its original proposal.
A spokesman said: “We have worked hard to increase the distance from the nearest homes and the architects have ensured there are gaps between the principal buildings.
“We have also sought to reduce the size of the proposed power station.”
But Marchwood residents say they are still not happy with the scheme, despite all the amendments.
One of the people who attended the exhibition was Peter Harper, 59, who lives on the Southampton facing side of the parish.
He said: “We’ve already got a power station and an incinerator in the village and don’t want any more buildings of that sort in the area.
“Helius may have moved the biomass plant further away from the nearest residents in Southampton but we don’t want it any closer to us.”
