Conservatives call for greater support for coastal habitats and communities

CONSERVATIVE MPs are urging Labour to cut red tape for marine restoration companies to support coastal communities in decline.

- HELEN CORBETT

The Conservative Environment Network (CEN) warned of the impact on towns of declining tourism and flooding, storms and coastal erosion, in a report outlining measures to help them.

‘The group, which includes dozens of Tory MPs, called for regulation to be streamlined for projects such as the Solent Seascape Project, an initiative to restore saltmarsh, seagrass, oyster reefs, and seabird nesting sites between the Isle of Wight and mainland England.

Shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins backed the report, calling it a “valuable conservative contribution for consideration in our ongoing policy renewal programme”.