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HOWARDS HITS OUT AT ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN

Michael Howard has hit out at English Nature's decision to designate 22,000 acres, nearly 35 square miles of Romney Marsh and East Sussex as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Mr Howard, MP for Folkestone and Hythe, told a public meeting in Brenzett, o­n Romney Marsh, that the move could discourage other producers from farming in an environmentally-friendly way.

One of the main reasons the land around Romney Marsh, Rye Bay and Dungeness seemed to have been designated was because producers had taken steps such as creating new wetlands which had improved the area's wildlife status, said Mr Howard.

He claimed that if the consequences of putting in environmental features, are likely to be that English Nature comes in and prevents people from farming in the way they have always been able to farm, then producers are going to think twice about putting those features o­n the farm.

About 50 farmers attended the meeting which was organised by the National Farmers Union.