The Immingham Outer Harbour Development will consist of four deepwater ro-ro berths adjacent to Humber International Terminal. They will be designed to accept the next generation of freight handling ro-ro ferries.

The projected capital cost of the development, planned to become operational in 2005, is £55m.

Quay 2005 is the proposed riverside berth development near Alexandra Dock at the Port of Hull. It will allow the port to accommodate larger vessels than can currently be handled, to meet the expected growth in container traffic. The projected capital cost of this project, also planned to become operational from 2005, is £40mn.

The conservation bodies which had previously raised objections to these developments have withdrawn following the agreement with ABP which ensures that ABP will provide valuable wildlife habitat in compensation for that lost to development. The proposed developments would result in a loss of about 31 hectares of inter-tidal mudflats currently used by migrating birds. ABP has committed to the creation of 57 hectares of mudflat and salt marsh and six hectares of grassland on the Humber Estuary. This compensatory measure should enable waders and wildfowl to continue to use the estuary as a 'filling station' on their migrations.

ABP has worked closely with English Nature, The Environment Agency, The RSPB, The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to find suitable areas to create the replacement habitats. These will contribute to the long-term sustainable management of an internationally important estuary.

Over 175,000 water birds feed and roost on the Humber Estuary over the winter months and even more pass through en-route to southern Europe and Africa or to Iceland and Scandinavia. The Estuary's extensive mudflats and salt marshes are vital to their survival.

The Environment Agency's Humber Strategies Manager, Tony Edwards, said, 'This agreement demonstrates how the Humber wildlife riches and the local economy can both be enhanced in a very practical way.'

MJ Information No: 18634