SOUTHAMPTON City Council has been accused of pumping a fortune into supporting plans for a dock at Dibden Bay without finding out whether its residents were in favour of the scheme.

As the public inquiry into plans for a huge container terminal between Hythe and Marchwood headed into its summer break, New Forest district and Marchwood parish councillor Nick Smith challenged a senior city council officer over public consultation.

He asked Southampton's sustainability policy officer William Clark what had been done to find out the public's views.

After Mr Clark had said that officers had advised and submitted reports to councillors, who decided unanimously in favour of the Bay project, Councillor

Smith said: "So you didn't do any consultation with the public of Southampton?" "No, the visual impact was not consulted with the public, neither was any other aspect of the proposal, other than through members," Mr Clark replied.

Later, a spokesman for the city council spokesman said that although a full consultation had not been carried out, the public were told what the scheme was about, what the city's policy was and were invited to meetings.

Anyone who attended, he said, would have had an opportunity to speak and to ask questions. Cllr Smith said that Southampton Federation of Residents' Associations had said "some of its citizens were not in favour" of the Bay project.

As for the visual impact of the scheme, Mr Clark had suggested that visitors to Southampton go to its waterfront to see some of the largest ships in the world.

He added: "Views from the city over Southampton Water and particularly those from the historic core are influenced by the close proximity of surrounding industrial, residential and portrelated development. It is these dynamic features which form the visual envelope to the Port of Southampton."

But in giving evidence for Solent Protection Society against the scheme, former Hampshire planning officer Professor Gerald Smart said: "Although somewhat featureless at present, its landscape and ecology could be imaginatively improved, if threats of development were removed.

"Dibden Bay is one of the most important rural features contributing to the area's landscape diversity. Huge importance should be attached to its protection in the national and local interest."

Having completed its look at the visual impact of the scheme, the inquiry will now resume on September 3, when the topic will be navigation.