Time to abandon super-peninsular plan, says wildlife group
Up to 4,000 homes could be built at Tipner West in Portsmouth
A wildlife charity in the south says now is the time to ditch plans for a major housing development in Portsmouth.
As experts at COP26 in Glasgow debate how we can address climate change, campaigners believe it would be "hypocritical" to go ahead with the £1bn "super peninsula" at Tipner West.
More than £10m has already been spent on drawing up plans for the development which includes contentious proposals to reclaim land in the harbour.
This has drawn strong environmental opposition, including from the RSPB and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.
Trust chief executive Debbie Tann said: "It is hypocritical of the government to be hosting COP26 and saying they want to lead the world in being green, and yet here in Portsmouth we've got completely the opposite.
"That Tipner proposal looks like it is completely flying in the face of the direction that we need to be going in, which is valuing and restoring and using nature to help us."
"This is the moment to bin the plan for Tipner West, this could be a fabulous nature park for the whole community."
Councillors have agreed to "pause and rethink" the plans for up to 4,000 homes at Tipner West.
A report outlining progress on the plan will be published in December.
City councillors will be given an update on the Lennox Point project at their full council meeting.
It comes despite the leader of Portsmouth City Council saying the scheme was "dead" due to the level of opposition, casting doubt over its future.