MULTI-MILLION pound plans to make Portland a key gas supplier for the UK have been submitted to councillors.

Portland Gas Storage Limited has sent a planning application to Dorset County Council to create 14 underground gas storage chambers beneath Osprey Quay.

The caverns would be capable of storing 1,000 million cubic metres of natural gas - making the UK less dependent on foreign supplies during shortages.

If the £350 million project is approved it will create around 250 jobs during construction and 25 permanent local jobs once completed.

Yesterday Portland Gas delivered six separate applications for the scheme running to 6,000 pages to the council's planning department.

The company also submitted a plan to the Department of Trade and Industry for a 23-mile pipeline running through the Dorset countryside to link Portland to the National Grid Transmission System, at Mappowder.

The huge project means that when fully developed Portland could provide five per cent of the national gas demand on a winter's day.

At a presentation Andrew Hindle, managing director of Portland Gas, said: "This is a much-needed facility which would bring lasting benefits to the people of Dorset and across the South West. It's in the national interest that we create more gas storage to ensure security of supply and lower bills for homes and businesses."

The development will take place at the former naval base.

Drilling will create huge caverns in the salt rock at a depth of 2,400 metres. Gas extracted from the caverns will be replaced by brine stored at a new facility built at West Stafford, near Dorchester.

A trench containing a gas pipeline will feed the caverns with gas from the National Grid. Brine will also flow to and from the caverns to keep the pressure constant. Mr Hindle said gas storage was completely safe.

"Even if a plane crashed into the buildings there would be no oxygen to create a fire in the caverns," he said.

"Gas in the caverns can be isolated immediately with sub-surface safety valves and the site made safe."

He said the company would insist that local sub-contractors would be involved in the construction.

Councillors are likely to need assurances the pipeline will not destroy parts of the Heritage Coast and archaeological sites along its route.

Mr Hindle said the company would employ 'directional drilling' to avoid damage to sensitive areas.

He also promised pipes and materials will be transported to Portland Port by sea - minimising traffic problems.

A decision on the planning applications is expected by the end of the year. The pipelines would be working by 2010 and the entire project finished by 2013.

An exhibition of the plans will be held on May 5 at Portland Heights Hotel and on May 12 at Kingston Maurward College.