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Written by Charlie Jacoby
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Tuesday, 17 March 2009 08:23 |
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The CLA is warning landowners of saltmarshes that they could face compulsory purchases of their land. The landowners' organisation says it has uncovered a Government plan to buy these wildlife habitats to compensate for the Severn barrage tidal power scheme.
The East Anglian Daily Press reports that owners of land bordering waterways in Essex and Suffolk are being warned about the possible threat.
CLA eastern region director Nicola Currie told the newspaper that the Severn barrage could see the nationalisation of private land surrounding estuaries of the Orwell, Stour, Deben, Harwich and Hamford Water, which are all on a list of suitable sites.
The Severn Barrage consultation says the project is committed to a strategic Habitats Regulations Assessment that will "assess the effect on the integrity of protected sites designated under European legislation". This will include determining whether sites would be significantly affected, whether there are over-riding reasons of public interest to take forward a scheme and the feasibility of providing compensation to maintain the coherence of the Natura 2000 network. This will include making any Appropriate Assessments found to be necessary to meet the Habitats Directive requirements.
The Severn Barrage could supply 5% of the UK's total electricity needs but it may raise water levels and drowning habitats on the banks of the Severn estuary, a wetland site of international importance and also a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The consultation deadline is April 23. Visit severntidalpowerconsultation.decc.gov.uk |
Land & politics 
