§ Dr. Michael Clark (Rochford)With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House I beg leave to present a petition about wharf development on the south side of the river Crouch. It has 579 signatures from people on both sides of the river, the vast majority being from my own consitiuency and many from the constituency of my right hon. Friend the Member for Colchester, South and Maldon (Mr. Wakeham). The petition states:
That the advice given to Rochford district council by Essex county council to reject an application for the expansion of Baltic wharf was not properly heeded; that there was not sufficient evaluation of the applicant's claim that this development will bring about additional employment, which is thought by many to be minimal; that the views of those using the Crouch for sailing were not adequately considered, and that the increase in the number of heavy lorries that will result from this application will have an adverse effect upon the country road network and the environment on general and will not be acceptable.I associate myself with that final observation.The petition concludes:
Wherefore your petitioners pray that your House should urge the Secretary of State for the Environmeent to call in the planning application ROC/856/84 and ROC/55/85, (Expansion to the Baltic wharf on the river Crouch, in the county of Essex) and determine these applications after a public inquiry, and your petitioners as in duty bound ever pray, etc.
§ To lie upon the Table.