Divers concerned at proposals to place wind turbines close to popular dive sites in Portland harbour welcomed a DTI ruling that more research is required.

Powergen have suspended their proposals for Portland harbour after the Department of Trade and Industry intervened.

"The situation is that the DTI has said that Portland Harbour needs what's called a Strategic Environmental Assessment (that the DTI carries out) and it doesn't have one at the moment." Powergen spokesperson Jonathan Smith told Divernet. "We didn't believe that we required one because the land the wind farm would have been sited on is owned by the Port Authority and not by the Crown Estate, as is the case with all other offshore wind farms. We're therefore suspending our assessment work (but leaving the anemometers up) until the SEA is complete."

The Royal Yachting Association and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds raised serious concerns about Powergen's proposals to site 11 wind turbines in Portland harbour, with divers anxious about damage and access to wrecks.

"The RYA has been urging the company to drop its proposals that it believes has an adverse effect on high-performance racing opportunities as well as an impact on boating in general. We are really pleased that Powergen has put the project on hold although we will continue to monitor any future proposals," commented a RYA spokesperson.

With diving on Portland's most popular wreck The Hood now permanently banned, allegedly on safety grounds, the prospect of additional complications with diving in Portland harbour has caused anguish among the local dive operators. Portland harbour is the only south coast destination offering sheltered diving on large wrecks, and attracts large numbers of divers and dive clubs.

More links of interest
Powergen promise not to site turbines on wrecks
Divers concerns about siting of Portland wind turbines


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