Week 6, Day 4

Great turn-out of support today for Joint Action Group day of evidence. (Just happened that it was a day when half the public gallery chairs had disappeared!)

SNH were absent because it was the only day when they could arrange a high level meeting with various bosses to discuss their strategy for the remainder of the Inquiry.

Jim Simpson was first to give evidence. In this part of the Inquiry his evidence concerned dredging and issues concerning how dredged material would be disposed of.

Tom Leatherland was next. His evidence was to do with movements of sediments under the influence of wind and tide and the likelihood of the proposed new dredged channel leading to lowering of the beach at Brucehaven.

There was still time before lunch, so Beryl Leatherland read out her summary precognition before the break. This meant that Beryl was led in evidence and was cross examined for the remainder of the afternoon. She gave a great deal of evidence concerning the European Habitats directive and shared her knowledge of the need for ecological integrity of habitats.
Next week will be rather different. On Monday there will be a visit to the beach at Brucehaven, so that the Reporters can see for themselves all the features that have been discussed during the Inquiry. In the afternoon, there will be a 'marine' site visit. This will involve a boat trip organised by Forth Ports, so that the reporters can understand the location of the proposed new channel, and the possible wind and waves that might be encountered.

On Tuesday, there will be a visit to Grangemouth Container Terminal so that the Reporters can understand what goes on there.

On Wednesday, the Inquiry will resume for one or two more days. This is for he SNH to give evidence following the situation last week when a lot of the numbers recording the distribution of birds were found to be inaccurate. The errors have now been sorted.

Please note that the venue will change. It will be at Keavil House Hotel in Crossford.