Dibden Bay: Any new plan to develop site 'many years away' ABP says

Associated British Ports (ABP) has not ruled out a second attempt to develop the 500-acre Dibden Bay - but says any new planning application is "many years away".

ABP has acquired the civilian operator that runs Marchwood Military Port, which is part of the new Solent Freeport.

The move has sparked speculation that the company is drawing up new plans for Dibden Bay.

Campaigners celebrate in 2004 after the government rejected plans to turn Dibden Bay into a container terminal (Image: Newsquest.)

ABP sparked fury in the 1990s by applying for planning permission to build a six-berth container terminal on the site, which is between Marchwood and Hythe.

The company said the £600m development was vital to the future of Southampton docks.

But the scheme was condemned by local authorities and leading conservation groups. In 2004 it was thrown out on environmental grounds after a 13-month public inquiry.

READ MORE: Operator of Marchwood Military Port acquired by Associated British Ports

An ABP spokesperson said the company was working alongside local authorities and the wider community to make the best use of existing facilities in the area.

The spokesperson listed previously approved applications to improve the military port.

They added: "The adjacent Strategic Land Reserve site does form part of the Solent Freeport but any potential development of the wider site is many years away."

Dibden Bay was at the centre of a 13-month public inquiry after ABP submitted proposals to develop the site (Image: Newsquest.)

County councillor David Harrison, who represents Marchwood and Totton South, has repeatedly warned that the threat to Dibden Bay has not gone away.

Responding to ABP's latest statement he said: "I appear to have drawn out the first public acknowledgment from ABP that they do indeed intend making another attempt.

"Nobody can be sure when the application will be submitted."

Cllr Harrison said the Waterside area was in danger of suffering the same fate as Southampton's coastline, which had been "concreted over" with only Mayflower Park providing public access to the waterfront.

The buying up of land, the acquisition of Marchwood Military Port, and the creation of the Solent Freeport "were all pointing in the same direction".

READ MORE: Plans to upgrade Marchwood Military Port given the green light by New Forest District Council

Cllr Harrison warned that locally-elected councillors were unlikely to have much say in the planning process.

He added: "You can be very sure that 'caring for the environment' will be well down the priority list of those really pulling the strings in government."

The military port was previously run by Solent Gateway, which leased the huge site from the Ministry of Defence.