A damming seventy two page report documenting the failure of English Nature to protect our natural heritage on the route of the Newbury Bypass has been sent to David Rendel MP for referral to the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

The complaint by the Third Battle of Newbury(TBN) is that English Nature failed to present a full and balanced case at the 1988 Public Inquiry and subsequent review into the Newbury Bypass and has since repeatedly failed in its duty as statuary advisory and watchdog for our natural heritage.

Although it is at the discretion of David Rendel M.P to refer the complaint, if he were to refuse other possibly more forth coming MP's will be approached. The Third Battle of Newbury's particular grievance is that false and/or misleading information given by English Nature has prejudiced legal proceedings, both in Britain and Europe, which could have stopped the Newbury Bypass. If the Ombudsman finds in favour of TBN then beside moral vindication, financial compensation can be expected.

The report concludes (page 29)

English Nature has been unable to give assurances today that Badger Sets at the site of clearance work at Tothill, in the south of the bypass route are unoccupied. The Third Battle of Newbury claimed this provides further indication of English Natures failure. Protestors have sought to stop tree felling. So far there have been three arrests and one protestor has been taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg.

ENDS