Rampion wind farm expansion "too close and too intrusive" according to Worthing MP
Peter Bottomley says he supports the idea of renewable energy but thinks the proposed location for Rampion 2 is "inappropriate"
Worthing West MP Peter Bottomley has raised concerns over the proposed expansion to the Rampion wind farm off the West Sussex coast.
It follows similar calls made by Andrew Griffith, MP for Arundel and the South Downs, and Nick Gibb, MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, with all three saying the location for the project isn't the right one.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, Peter Bottomley MP said: "We support the government's aim to be a world leader in renewable energy. We wonder if this stretch of the Sussex coast line is appropriate, or inappropriate for such a large extended wind farm. The government said they wanted no wind farm to be within 25 miles of a national park. This would be within 10 miles of the South Downs and eight miles of the coast.
"The problem apparently with pushing the wind farm further into the channel is the channel is relatively narrow and that would cause difficulties for navigation, we don't want that to happen. We've just got to take care and make sure we find the most appropriate place for the most appropriate energy for the future.
"If you look out now at the existing Rampion, it doesn't cause too much difficulty to anybody. I look out from up on the Downs and that's acceptable...in fact it looks quite pretty.
"If you have turbine masts that are twice as high and just as close in, the impact is going to be much much greater and that is what people along the coast are saying. People say it to me in Ferring, East Preston, Rustington.
"Do you really need to have such a wide corridor to bring electricity ashore through the national park. The South Downs is there to be protected and we do hope that those who make the decisions will take these things into account".
His comments come as Arun District Councillors call for a local impact report into the plans, that would be delivered straight to the Secretary of State.
It's thought the report would look into possible effects on things like the environment and tourism.
Current estimates have the expanded wind farm producing up to 1,200 megawatts of energy, enough to bring green electricity to 350,000 homes.
A public consultation into the plans ends on Thursday.
We have approached RWE Renewables UK for comment.