Port plans may flood Kent farmland

Port plans may flood Kent farmland

Thousands of acres of farmland near Cliffe could be flooded

An inquiry has opened into plans to build a container terminal which could mean thousands of acres of Kent farmland are flooded.

Shipping firm P&O has put forward proposals to build a deep water container terminal at the former Shell Haven Oil Refinery near Thurrock, in Essex.

If permission is granted, the area of mudflats destroyed in the process may have to be recreated in Kent by flooding an area of farmland at Cliffe, in Medway, with saltwater.

Farmers there have said agricultural land and wildlife habitats will be destroyed if the plans go ahead.

Cliffe's marshes are an important wildlife site

The public inquiry, which started on Tuesday in Essex, will decide whether the move is necessary.

P&O announced it might need to buy the land at Cooling Marshes, in Cliffe, in July last year.

The company said the site had been identified following consultation with environmental bodies such as English Nature.

It has also held discussions with the National Farmers' Union.

P&O believes Shell Haven, which has been used as a port since the 16th century, is the ideal site for its 'London Gateway Port'.

A commercial and logistics centre would be built alongside the container terminal.

The firm said this would create up to 16,500 jobs and make a major contribution to the regeneration of the Thames Gateway.