UP TO one thousand protesters are expected to take to the streets in a new bid to stop a biofuel plant opening on Portland.

The protest, due to be held in September, has been organised by members of the community group NOPE (No Oil Palm Energy) who are set to parade through Portland alongside residents and climate change campaigners.

This will be the third demonstration since Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s planning committee approved the plans in January.

Hundreds of protesters have joined in with previous demonstrations, but organisers say they are expecting up to a thousand this time because the protest will be in conjunction with national campaigning groups.

NOPE member Andrew Butler said: “This time we are holding the protest in conjunction with Biofuel Watch, Food Not Fuel and The Campaign Against Climate Change so we are expecting significantly more people.

“We’re hoping there will be up to a thousand and enough to create a human chain across Portland Beach Road from Wyke Regis to Portland.

“The focus will be to get national attention for not only the proposals on Portland but the issue of biofuel in general.

“It’s something which is really gaining momentum – it started off as a local issue but it is now gaining interest from national organisations.”

This third march comes as a judicial review, requested by NOPE member Robert Palgrave, was refused by the High Court of Justice to look into the decision made by the council to allow planning consent.

Mr Palgrave, who is also a director of Biofuel Watch, said he was ‘disappointed’ with the result.

He said: “We requested the review on the grounds that a comment was made by a planning officer that councillors shouldn’t worry about what effect the plant would have on people and forests and animals in other countries.

“We also believe the council did not let people sit on the committee who had voted against the first application.

“Even though the judicial review was refused, we still think that is the case and we are pursuing this.”

NOPE was originally set up in response to fears about palm oil being imported into Portland Port to fuel the plant but W4B Renewable Energy Limited, the company behind the power plant, has since pledged it will not be using the food grade oil.

But protesters say they are still concerned about the negative impact the plant will have on the area.

The march will be taking place on Saturday, September 25, at 12.30pm, leaving from the Chesil car park on Portland Road and ending at the Portland Port gate.

After the march there will be a workshop at the St George’s Hall on Portland dealing with sustainable energy and biofuels followed by food, drink and live bands.