§ Mr. SweeneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will announce his plans for bird compensation measures for the loss of the Cardiff site of special scientific interest; and when he expects these to be completed. [10410]
§ Mr. HagueI am pleased to announce my plans to proceed immediately with bird reserve compensation measures at Uskmouth and Goldcliff and the area in between on the Gwent levels. These new proposals have been developed with the assistance of the Countryside Council for Wales, from the conclusions reached by the Cardiff Bay development corporation steering group report on alternative mitigation measures—October 1995—and discussed with the European Commission. I have placed a copy of the steering group report in the Library of the House.
I have asked the Cardiff Bay development corporation to set up immediately a project implementation steering group to oversee the establishment of the new integral reserve of over 375 hectares, with the firm objective of completion before the start of impoundment of the waters in Cardiff bay. The longer term objective is for the reserve to be developed so that it qualifies for special protection 623W area status. The first task of the group will be to provide clear proposals for the management of the site and by the end of May, specific targets for the birds to be attracted to it. The Land Authority for Wales, working on behalf of CBDC, has already secured from National Power 164 hectares of the land required and lodged a planning application for engineering works for the whole of the reserve site.