Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

I support A361 in the name of my noble friend Lord Geddes. It was supported very well by my noble friend Lord Crickhowell, who spoke from his experience with ports which is how I will speak for a few moments today. I do not support the amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Greenway, as strongly because it is much more widely drawn and I hope that the amendment of my noble friend Lord Geddes is the way that we will go. My knowledge of ports comes from years of working and developing my own quays in Plymouth. I know what it is like to develop over land and across rights and sometimes try to divert people who trip over wet fish, fishing nets and whatever and how dangerous that can be. Having worked there for so long, I was able to move to the Port of London Authority where I worked for 10 years. It is a very different port with a long estuarial river which is at present developing the London Gateway DPWorld development. For that, there is a very long lead time for planning and consultation. There is a long time to build such a great thing and a very long time to get the money back at the end of the day. Therefore, I am keen to support the idea of master plans for ports. They seem sensible. While I and the PLA support in principle improved rights of access to the English coastline, it believes, as do I, that the future development of land held for the provision of additional port capacity should not be prejudiced by the application of coastal access rights arising from this marine Bill as it stands. Therefore, we support this amendment, and I am very keen to hear the Government’s reply on the idea of master plans for ports.