The clock is ticking on plans to develop an onshore component of 'England's leading' tidal energy project on the south coast of the Isle of Wight.

At a meeting of the Isle of Wight Council's Planning Committee yesterday evening, a proposal from Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre's (PTEC) to change nine conditions attached to a previously approved application for development south of Steephill Road near Ventnor was refused.

PTEC's proposed changes involved carrying out the development in two phases and starting on-site works on or before December 14, 2024, the date of the planning permission's expiry.

On behalf of PTEC, Mark Dixon, said: "The purpose of this planning application is to pave the way for PTEC to make a lawful commencement of the development before that date to preserve the planning permission.

"A lot of people have invested a large amount of time, money and effort in this project to date and if we can, we should preserve the opportunity for the Island."

A council report prepared prior to the County Hall meeting had recommended approval, subject to previously imposed planning conditions and a legal agreement for a £19,800 Biodiversity Mitigation Contribution.

The application was brought before the committee due to it involving council owned land and County Hall's 'minority financial interest' in PTEC.

Daniel James, a partner in the Plan Research town planning consultancy who spoke on behalf of the Undercliff Community Group, said: "This scheme has caused ten years of planning blight to Flowers Brook and Ventnor without any progress whatsoever.

"The relevant question this evening is whether the proposed changes to the conditions and the resultant phasing of the development would cause material harm.

"No argument has been made as to why it has not been able to discharge these conditions like any other developer.

"To grant permission for the removal of significant conditions from the proposed phase one would be to drastically weaken the planning process.

"What is the point of the council agreeing conditions with an applicant - covering drainage, trees, landscaping, archaeology and ground stability- if they can be rephased later?"

The company has previously said the site for the initial 30MW would provide enough energy to power a third of homes on the Island.

Cllr Ed Blake, representative for Ventnor and St Lawrence, said: "There will be no tidal turbines off Ventnor, it is not physically possible.

"There is not energy there that they are saying is there - this is purely a scheme to relieve governing bodies of money with no end goal.

"Please don't think you are going to be preserving the right to get tidal energy from accepting this planning application condition change today.

"There is not tide there that will give you consistent energy - it is about four days every month that there is enough energy there and that is only for about two hours per tide."

Latest proposals were refused as no significant changes relevant to the original permission have occurred. Original conditions remain and permission is granted subject to those conditions, a council decision notice published today said.