Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect of the closure of the SSI site in Redcar on (a) the natural environment and (b) Teesmouth national nature reserve.

Rory Stewart

Currently, the SSI site is being maintained in a ‘steady state’ which prevents any potential contaminants from entering the natural environment as well as keeping the public safe and the site secure. Teesmouth National Nature Reserve is not directly affected by the closure of the SSI site.

Natural England and the Environment Agency are working together with local business leaders, the Tees Valley Combined Authority and a range of non-government organisations, to explore and identify how existing operations, new economic developments and a series of ambitious environmental enhancements can be taken forward in combination with each other on the estuary. Any future uses of the site would readily be included in this approach.