The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 5

HOME NEWS 5 Protesters fighting to save listed downland consider new challenge after suffering defeat in the High Court over proposed route for M3 extension Gi-wai IbaMe may go ft SHrasfoooairgj THE GUARDIAN Saturday October 27 1990 add an estimated 93 million to ing natural beauty, Twyford Owen Bowcott Down includes two sites of the overall cost. The judge said that the benefits the road would i wqh- bring were To have quashed the plan would have caused "considerable delay to the much needed section of the motorway Once constructed, it will vir tually complete the motorway link from London to Southampton. Originally planned as a three- lane section, Department of Transport traffic forecasts have already suggested it may need wr mm immmm wmmmmmMm special scientific interest and a number of scheduled ancient monuments. The judge's decision turned on whether the Environment Secretary, Chris Patten, or the Transport Secretary, Cecil Parkinson, had "misunderstood or misapplied the law" in approving the scheme. The campaigners argued that the Government had flouted a legally binding European Community directive which required a formal assessment of the environmental impact of substantial projects to be carried out.

They argued that the directive which came into force in July 1988 should apply to cases in the pipeline at the time, such as the Twyford Down scheme which was first proposed in 1985. The judge, however, agreed with the ministers that only plans first published after July 1988 were covered. The Government had argued that, even though it was under no legal obligation to do so, it fully complied with the "spirit rrjROTESTERS fighting I Lv I the extension of the M3 1 through listed down-U land near Winchester were last night considering taking their case to Europe after a defeat in the High Court. The Department of Transport wants to cut a 400 foot wide swathe through Twyford Down, parts of which are the subject of at least five protection orders. Mr Justice McCullough, refusing to quash the extension, said that the protesters had put forward no legal grounds on which the motorway extension could be stopped.

The department, which could start construction work in 32 weeks, said it was waiting to see if the objectors took their case to the European Court in Strasbourg. The campaigners have already raised 70,000 but could face a far higher legal bill if the department took a hard line on costs. "We will have to think long and hard about an appeal and discuss our chances with our legal advisers," said Barbara Bryant, of the Winchester M3 Joint Action Group. "But we shall definitely be inviting the European Commission to consider the judgment." Listed as an area of outstand to be upgraded to tour lanes. John Browne, Conservative MP for Winchester, said outside the court: "I am sure the judge's decision was in the interests of fairness according to the law but it is a very sad day for the environment in the UK.

"At Winchester the Government had an opportunity not only to protect the environment but to enhance the very special environment which exists around Winchester and they were not prepared to do so. "It is an example of a government department talking environment but not being prepared to do it or meaning business when it comes to spending money." Merrick Denton-Thompson, another of the legal challengers, said: "The environment is paying subservience to road construction." and purpose" of the directive by giving environmental issues "exhaustive" consideration. The campaigners had suggested an alternative scheme involving a tunnel beneath Twyford Down which would Twilight zone part of Twyford Down, which faces the bulldozer after plans for extending the M3 won High Court backing PHOTOGRAPH: RICHARD RAYNER News in brief Detergent's appeal to fear 'was wrong' was also found to be an unacceptable appeal to fear. The complaint against James Erlichman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent Which compaitiy wouuld yonn huy younir Ecover was made by the peiioi from Bangkok 'wants guilty plea' The heroin smuggling case against Patricia Cahill, 17, of Birmingham, was adjourned until November 13 by a Bangkok court yesterday to give lawyers more time to persuade her and her co-defendant, Karyn Smith, 19, of Solihull, to plead guilty, legal sources said. Race verdict reserved The High Court yesterday reserved judgment in the case brought by Stephen Anderson, 24, against an army decision denying him compensation for alleged racial abuse.

Cameif ord talks call Campaigners for a new inquiry into the water poisoning incident a'fCamelford, north'Corn-wall, want to meet the junior health minister, Stephen Dorrell. Rape attack A man was found guilty yesterday of raping a mother and indecently assaulting her 16-year-old daughter as they walked home in Farnborough, Hampshire. Christopher Copplestone. 21, of Aldershot, was remanded in custody at Winchester crown court pending a medical report. Tree man rescued An 88-year-old man who scaled 20 ft up a tree to cut down branches banging on his bedroom window in Folkestone, Kent, had to be rescued by police and the fire brigade.

A WASHING powder company, Ecover, used an "unacceptable appeal to fear" in claiming that rival detergents contain ingredients which bring carcinogens into the water supply, the Committee of Advertising Practice said yesterday. Ecover, which claims its alternative range of washing and cleaning agents are "for people who care about the was wrong to say that EDTA, a chemical component of some conventional washing powders, combines with cancer-inducing heavy metals such as lead and mercury and helps them back into the water supply. The committee also said that Ecover each packet of which contains a leaflet explaining the chemical composition of the product and its alleged health and environmental advantages over conventional products was wrong to claim that its products contain "no petroleum-based when they contained a chemical derived from petroleum. A claim that optical bleaching agents found in conventional powders cause mutations in micro-organisms Soap Detergent Industry Association the trade body which represents Procter Gamble, Lever Brothers and other big manufacturers to the committee which settles inter-industry disputes for the Advertising Standards Authority. Keith Chesterton, director general of the association, said: "We tried to settle these issues at three separate meetings with Ecover before formally complaining to the committee.

We hope supermarkets will continue to be conscious of their reputations when they consider stocking products which make such claims." Robin Bines, director of the Sussex-based Ecover, said: "We believe the committee has failed to take proper account of the evidence, but we have re-submitted new wordings to them and will abide by their decision." The committee, whose formal adjudication has taken more than a year to complete, has previously upheld complaints against Lever Brothers and ICI, both members of the SDI for making environmental claims they could not justify. PERSONAL PENSION PLANS PAST PERFORMANCE Thefollowingtable shows the number positions in surveys of actual results for 5, 10,15 and 20year regular contribution with-profit; personal pension plans carried out by "Planned Savings'fnagazine, 1974-1990. The Classic Organiser Handbag Elegantly Styled in Leather COMPANY 1st 2d 3rd EQUITABLE LIFE 14 7 3 NPI 8 3 PRUDENTIAL 4 4 3 FRIENDS PROVIDENT 2 2 NORWICH UNION 1 4 3 SCOTTISH UFE 1 3 SCOTTISH WIDOWS' 1 2 SCOTTISH AMICABLE 1 1 NATIONAL MUTUAL 1 SCOTTISH EQUITABLE 1 SCOTTISH MUTUAL 1 PROVIDENT MUTUAL 2 7 GUARDIAN ROYALEXCHANGE 1 1 CLERICAL MEDICAL Scottish pwjvidei HX SUN ALLIANCE -V" STANDARD UFE il- iSX: 'H. 1 0 yi VcuAa (29.95 i i I i i Classic style Quality water and stain resistant leather Gold plated fittings Available in black or navy Two large internal compartments i Two zipped internal compartments for valuables Large zipped pocket for documents and letters Three credit card pockets Travel documentdriving licence pocket 22ct Gold Plated i 5 I ORDER BY PHONE NOW! Call 0793 610870, performance is not a guarantee of future performance. Call Aylesbury (0296) 26226 or write Walton Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP21 7BR if you would like further information by post and by telephone.

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