One of the most significant developments to have occurred locally is the surprise announcement that Associated British Ports have paused their plan to develop part of Dibden Bay, their “Solent Gateway 2” project.

We don’t know exactly what has prompted the change of mind about progressing the scheme as originally proposed although it might well be the concerns about how long it would have taken to overcome all of the environmental concerns, the potential planning battles and costs when weighed against increasing the capacity for car storage on existing docks areas.

It seems clear to me that the plans ABP have for Dibden Bay will not have gone away. It is still part of their long term ambition to develop port operations all the way down the Waterside, wherever it is possible.

The holding position is that they will apparently produce and publish a revised Masterplan, later for this year.

There are two interesting aspects to this particular development…. it calls into further question the wisdom of investing some £170 million of taxpayer’s money into the largely unpopular scheme to widen just a section of the A326…. which was always intended to facilitate thousands of extra lorry movements into Waterside port areas.

The schemes backers will still, of course, argue that the scheme has major benefits to commuters…. which would only be true if the whole length of the road was widened and something done to improve the pinch points at Redbridge and access to the Motorway.

The delay might give a chance for the environmentalists to progress further protection to the Dibden Bay area. Personally, I think the land qualifies for National Park status, which is one of the reasons I have asked colleagues on the Authority to consider a review of the National Park boundaries.