A PUBLIC consultation that could result in a huge area of the Dorset coast being designated as a protected European marine site was launched today.

Residents, businesses and other interested parties are being encouraged to have their say on the case for creating a Special Area of Conservation covering 330sq km off the Dorset coast.

Natural England has undertaken the consultation, which affects rare and diverse marine reefs from Studland to Portland – an area just over half the size of the New Forest National Park.

“The Studland Bay to Ringstead Bay reefs, for example, are a mixture of exposed shales and clays, limestone, boulders and chalk bedrock,” explained a Natural England spokesman.

“The reefs provide important platforms for colonisation of species such as the sunset cup coral, Weymouth carpet coral, squat lobsters and the reef-building Ross worms.

“The Portland reefs are characterised by flat bedrock, ledges, cobbles and rugged limestone boulders with deep gullies.

“Communities of barnacles and sponges have made their home in mini-caves here, with mussel beds found in high densities on the bedrock.”

The consultation, which will concentrate on the likely economic, environmental and social impacts of any designation, runs until November 24.

Then, during 2012, Natural England will report to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the responses received.

A spokesman said: “Once the government has taken all consultation responses into account, it will decide whether to submit this possible SAC to the European Commission for inclusion.”

Details of the consultation, including maps and details of regional public meetings, can be found on Natural England’s website.