The public inquiry into Associated British Ports' plans for a new port complex at Dibden Bay promises to be one of the most contentious ever seen in the south. Today we examine the environmental issues.

The case for...

ONE of biggest environmental protection schemes ever seen in the UK lies at the heart of plans for the Dibden Terminal, says developer Associated British Ports.

The company is to pour millions of pounds into safeguarding wildlife on Southampton Water bringing even better habitats for visiting birds and local species of plants and animals when the project is complete.

A spokesman for ABP said: "The actual design of the port has been strongly influenced by needs of the wildlife resulting in an environmental package on an unprecedented scale for a project of this size.''

Its is ABP's boast that nearly one acre of environmental improvements is incorporated in the development for every one for port use. Central to this is a purpose-built mile-long creek, the creation of a nature conservation area together with brand new woodland and wide-ranging landscaping.

The creek will be one of the largest projects of its kind ever undertaken in the country providing a haven for wildlife and birds and also reuniting the old foreshore with Southampton Water for the first time in half a century.

"It will halt the current erosion of the mudland feeding grounds replacing them with a sustainable, managed habitat. The creek and the new nature conservation area will provide an important stopover between the habitats of Southampton Water and those of the New Forest heritage area,'' said the spokesman.

Over the last four years the environment and ecology of the reclaimed land, originally made up of dredgings from the bottom of Southampton Water, on which the Dibden Terminal will be built, has been researched in detail by ABP and independent experts.

The flora and fauna of the site was closely examined, particularly the visiting wading birds that use the area for winter feeding.

"Indeed, the site has been the subject of the most environmental scrutiny of any part of Southampton Water in its entire history,'' said ABP. This site is recently reclaimed and therefore supports only a few species of interest, all of which will be relocated as part of the programme.

"The proposals have been designed to minimise any effects on the estuary and the New Forest arising from the construction or operation of the terminal while measures have also been incorporated which reduce or avoid ecological impact.''

Right from the beginning ABP has worked with English Nature, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Hampshire Wildlife Trust exchanging data and ideas.

According to ABP the terminal will not have any significant visual impact on Marchwood, Dibden, Hythe and Hythe Marina due to a combination of the site's location, landscaping and its relative isolation from residential areas.

"Views of the terminal will be generally limited to distant sightings of the tops of quayside cranes when idle,'' said ABP.

"These will be seen among other tall industrial elements in the landscape including power lines and pylons, the stacks of the Fawley Power Station and refinery and the existing cranes at the container terminal.''

Dibden Terminal will operate 24 hours a day so ABP has come up with a strategy designed to minimise the effect of lighting by day, and of lighting by night.

The company has also carried out an assessment of noise and vibration.

"The assessment concludes that noise impacts from the operation of the terminal and the road and rail traffic it generates, will be of minor significance,'' said the spokesman.

No significant vibration impacts are predicted to occur during operation of the proposals.''

As far as the marine environment is concerned ABP sayany potential effects will largely occur during construction, especially when the foreshore is removed by dredging.

"Migratory salmon, fish feeding, spawning and nursery grounds, and commercial shellfish in the estuary will be protected by maintaining the water quality throughout construction,'' said ABP.

The case against...

CONTROVERSIAL plans to develop Dibden Bay will be thrown out by the government if it listens to its own advisers on nature conservation.

English Nature is one of several environmental groups which are queuing up to oppose the Associated British Ports (ABP) scheme at the forthcoming inquiry.

Experts are horrified at plans to turn what they regard as one of Britain's best wildlife sites into a massive extension of Southampton Docks.

Dibden Bay is a quiet corner of Hampshire that is home to thousands of birds who are attracted by the wide expanse of grassland.

Members of Residents Against Dibden Bay Port describe the area as an "oasis of tranquility".

The secluded site is supposedly protected by a raft of national and international laws that aim to preserve its special character for future generations.

But fields and mudflats could be replaced by docks and cranes if the ABP scheme is approved by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

ABP will get the go-ahead if it can convince ministers the proposed port is in the national interest.

Conservation groups are equally determined to prove that the site should continue to be a wildlife haven for birds to feed and breed.

English Nature's campaign is being led by coastal specialist Richard Leafe, who described the Dibden Bay scheme as a "big development in a small estuary".

He added: "The whole complex would be almost as big as Ringwood, while the docks themselves would destroy an area of mudflats more than four times the size of Hythe Marina Village."

Allan Drewitt, another member of the English Nature team, said: "Places such as Southampton Water aren't just large areas of sterile mud. The Solent and Southampton Water Special Protection Area (SPA) is used by 50,000 waterbirds every winter - and Dibden Bay is the jewel in the crown. The Dibden foreshore attracts twice as many birds as other areas of a similar size."

Dr Chris McMullon, Dibden Bay case officer at English Nature's Lyndhurst office, said the New Forest side of the site was also important. Animals grazing on quiet grassland have created an excellent place for certain types of birds and a remarkable number of rare invertebrates live there too," he said.

Other groups opposed to the Dibden Bay scheme include the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. RSPB conservation co-ordinator Helen Dargan said: "The terminal will result in the loss of valuable inter-tidal mudflats for birds in Southampton Water.

"ABP has proposed several measures, including a new tidal creek, but we're not convinced they will overcome the adverse impact of the scheme."

The Solent Protection Society is also planning to give evidence at the inquiry. Spokesman Gerald Smart said: "We object strongly to the transformation of a rural landscape into a container terminal with berths for six large ships.

"The site will include immensely tall cranes, plus extensive roadways and marshalling yards - with all the attendant noise and the glow of lighting.

"It will do irreparable damage to the landscape character of Southampton Water."