COMMUNITY activists celebrating the collapse of a controversial biomass plant in Southampton are launching a new rallying call in the face of future docks developments.

The Western Docks Consultation Forum (WDCF) is urging those living in the Freemantle and Millbrook areas to unite for tomorrow’s public meeting following the fallout of the controversial £300m power plant.

The summit comes just days after energy giant Helius announced it was scrapping plans for the giant woodfuelled station in the city’s docks due to financial problems.

As previously reported in the Echo the company is preparing to delist from the stock exchange and sell 50 per cent of its stake in its only active power plant in Scotland to recoup cash.

The plant’s demise marks the climax of a four-year battle led by the No Southampton Biomass Group who feared the station and its 100m (328ft) chimney would tower over their homes and pollute the air.

Now the WDCF, set up last year, is encouraging people to share their views and concerns about future developments there.

It comes as dock owners Associated British Ports (ABP) announced it has earmarked the land for expanding car handling operations already taking place at the docks.

The meeting will also feature talks from environmental experts covering wider concerns over noise, air pollution and traffic and a new system of logging complaints.

WDCF spokesman Colin Macqueen said: “The decision on biomass is fantastic but we are moving onto other things now. We are concerned about future port-related activities adding to traffic congestion, noise and air pollution.

“We want to promote the ability that people can get their voices heard.

“We appreciate that it is an industrial area but it is right alongside where people live.

“Ultimately the biomass decision was financial but a key element was the way people got out on the streets with banners, held public meetings.”

Helius said the 100 megawatt plant, announced in 2011, could produce energy to power 200,000 homes save the equivalent of 470,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. Campaigners questioned the ethics of hacking down forests thousands of miles away and shipping them to Southampton to burn, plus the health and visual impacts on the community.

The meeting takes place from 7pm in Holy Trinity Church Hall, Millbrook Road. It features talks from Cllr Christopher Hammond, chairman of Southampton City Council Air Quality Scrutiny Panel, the council’s principal environmental health officer Martin Lowe and Zak McElvenny from Solent Stevedores.

Search Western Docks Consultation Forum on Facebook or email secretary@wdcf.org for details.