MP and council disagree on IFA2 project

Residents pore over plans at the public consultation earlier this month on the proposed IFA2 development on the former HMS Daedalus site
Picture: Keith Woodland — Residents pore over plans at the public consultation earlier this month on the proposed IFA2 development on the former HMS Daedalus site Picture: Keith Woodland

Gosport MP, Caroline Dinenage has been against the interconnector project, at Daedalus airfield, backed by Fareham Borough Council, since the proposal began.

She wrote to the Department of Communities and Local Government to apply for the planning consent given by Fareham Borough Council to be revoked.

The government’s response letter read: ‘The Secretary of State has carefully considered this case against his policy on revocation and modification of planning applications.

How the IFA2 Interconnector should look if and when built

‘The Secretary of State has also carefully considered all the representations and available evidence and has concluded that it is not expedient for him to revoke the permission.’

Fareham Borough Council voted 7-2 in favour of National Grid’s application to build an electricity interconnector at Daedalus airfield.

The letter continued: ‘An agreement was reached between council officers and my officials that the council would not issue planning permission without prior notification of its intention to do so.

‘Despite that agreement and while the application was still under consideration by Secretary of State, the council issued the decision notice on April 10, 2017 without prior notification to the department.’

Leader of the council, Cllr Sean Woodward, has disputed this agreement ever took place.

‘It is regrettable that in his letter refusing to revoke the planning application the minister alleges that there was some agreement between this council and his officials not to issue the earlier planning consents without prior notification of our intention to do so.

‘That statement is not true and I am advised by the chief executive officer that there was no such agreement, verbal or otherwise.

‘The letter states that the minister has written to his council on the matter. He has not.’

Applications for the interconnector buildings and the surrounding 45 acres of public open space were received last week and a CAT meeting was held for residents who were encouraged to respond in the public consultation.

n Caroline Dinenage MP was unavailable for comment.