Navitus Bay could be 'wonderful asset', Green councillor says

An artist's impression, provided by Navitus Bay, shows how the turbines could look 14.6km (9.1 miles) off Swanage

A controversial £3.5bn offshore wind farm planned to be built off the south coast will not harm tourism, a Bournemouth councillor has said.

The tourist board has warned the Secretary of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change that it could have "catastrophic consequences".

But Simon Bull, a Green party councillor, said the 121-turbine project could be a "wonderful asset".

All local councils, except the Isle of Wight Council, are against the scheme.

Mr Bull, councillor for Winton East, said the project, known as Navitus Bay, could "attract more tourists than it deters".

He said: "There will be opportunities to visit the turbines, to have boat trips, to have exhibitions about technology.

"It's not going to be a massive eyesore, they're going to be 10 miles (16km) out to sea and hardly affect the tourists."

Mr Bull added: "Climate change will be far more devastating than a wind farm. The narrow view that the board has put forward is not the view of the whole town."

So far, nine of the offshore wind farm projects examined have received development consent.

But Des Simmons, chairman of The Bournemouth Tourism Management Board, said: "Imposing highly visible, industrial-scale wind turbines into Poole Bay will significantly compromise our main tourist attraction.

"What is being proposed in Bournemouth is exceptional - industrialising Poole Bay and our beautiful seascape will have catastrophic consequences for local businesses and the 12,000 plus jobs that are supported by tourism here."

Navitus Bay claims it could generate enough power for up to 700,000 homes and boost the area's economy by £1.6bn.