A PROJECT to restore parts of the River Avon has sparked suspicion among residents near Harbridge.

Now New Forest West MP Desmond Swayne is calling upon the Environment Agency to halt the work to have a full consultation with local folk.

Environment Agency contractors are working on a section of the chalk stream, a Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Harbridge to enhance the river - reconnecting it to the floodplain and to align the channel.

In a letter to the Environment Agency's CEO Dr Paul Leinster CBE, Mr Swayne wrote: "I have received representations from a number of constituents who have at very short notice become aware of the River Avon Restoration Project between Fordingbridge and Ringwood notwithstanding the potential impact on the frequency of flooding to their land.

"There appears to have been little information let alone sufficient time for proper consultation.

There is also a suspicion that there is an agenda to turn the water meadows into a flood defence.

"Can the development be stalled so that time can be taken to inform the public and affected parties about what is proposed, and to consider their feedback?

"Notwithstanding my long interest in the water meadows, meetings with your Agency, and meeting with three secretaries of state, nobody has taken the trouble to brief me about this project except the constituents who have begun to raise the alarm."

Farmer Edmund Kane said: "We have a keen interest in the meadows and feel that the work should have been stalled until proper consideration had been given to local people, farmers and tenants.

"The scheme to lower the banks will increase flooding on our land and affect the main access road from the A338. Spending £100,000 on lowering the banks and adding non native gravel to the river is complete madness. Flooding is becoming more of a issue to many, this combined with less grazing and the land being wetter for longer will in my view be the outcome of this mismanaged, ill-considered idea."

Patrick Webster said: "For North End Farm the works will mean that the water meadows would be flooded earlier in wet winters and for a longer period of time, despite Common Law stating that you are not allowed to carry out work on your land which would cause flooding to your neighbour's property.

"This is of concern to Edmund and other farmers, as recent wet winters and high water levels have left the water meadows damp and caused the spread of damp loving plants at the expense of the grasses, resulting in poor grazing for the cattle and what hay that can be cut of low nutritional value.

"I would have thought that an Environmental Impact Assessment was required and that farmers, local residents and local authorities should have been consulted regarding the operations and heavy traffic on narrow local roads due to gravel being brought in from a local quarry.

"It is my contention that the conservationists should have prepared an Environmental Impact Assessment for this project to justify the major work proposed including the connecting of the river to the meadows at North End Farm.

"After all the opposition to the proposed work at Latchmore Brook in the New Forest, you would have thought the Environment Agency would have produced the EIA."

"My opinion is that this operation must be halted by the Secretary of State for the Environment so that an Environmental Impact Assessment can be prepared and made available for public display and consultation."

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “Wherever possible, we are seeking - with the agreement of landowners - to re-connect the river with the floodplain to improve the habitat of the River Avon and associated water meadows.

“In the case of the Ibsley scheme, we have been working with the landowners on both sides of the river for up to a year to draw up a suitable solution for the degraded section of river.

“We consulted the public on the overall River Avon Restoration Plan in 2009. Most of the work is carried out under the Environment Agency’s permitted development rights. We assess the environmental impact of each project and, as required, advertise all works under the Environmental Impact Assessment Land Drainage Improvement Works Regulations.”