A PUBLIC inquiry into a ferry company’s controversial plans may be scrapped because of new guidance from environment experts.
The firm wants to dump 2,000 cubic metres of mud off the coast to safeguard marshland from new ferries travelling between Lymington and Yarmouth.
And it also wants an urgent upgrade of its terminal.
Both plans were due to be thrashed out at a public hearing in October because Natural England had not supplied key planning advice on the schemes.
But the independent body, which is currently objecting to the scheme, has made some progress in its negotiations with Wightlink and the firm believes the inquiry may not need to go ahead if they can reach agreement.
Instead, the company says the matter can be dealt with by planning committees at New Forest District Council and New Forest National Park Authority (NPA).
However, the hearing will still go ahead if Government bosses decide to “call in” Wightlink's plans.
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