Desmond Swayne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Desmond Swayne on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will visit the New Forest to see the effect of wetland restorations.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

In May this year, my predecessor visited the New Forest, to see the benefits of wetland restoration; reversing the long term damage caused by artificial deepening and widening of the watercourses in the 19th and early 20th century. This restoration work is expected to help restore the Site of Special Scientific Interest to a favourable condition. It wouldn’t now be appropriate for me to revisit, during a time when the planning application is being assessed.