WIGHTLINK’S controversial new Lymington to Yarmouth ferries are facing another threat – in the form of new rules protecting natural habitats.

The government plans to clamp down on activities which it believes could destroy or harm fragile nature sites.

Its planned changes to an EU directive have been welcomed by campaigners against the big new ferries.

The Lymington River Association, which is taking action in the High Court in a bid to stop the large ferries operating in the estuary, welcomed the planned extension to the Habitats Directive.

Its chairman, Marcus Malanathy, said the proposed changes “are exactly what we want”.

“There was a huge void where no-one would grasp the nettle and deal with the gigantic ships on the Lymington River,” he said.

Lymington Society spokesman Dr Donald MacKenzie said: “Hopefully once the law is in place, the minister will be able to re-examine the continued use by Wightlink of the new W Class ferries despite clear evidence from Natural England that they are likely to cause significant harm to the river in the decades ahead if allowed to continue in service.”

Defra wants to protect European nature sites from any activities which the secretary of state thinks will destroy or damage their “interest features”.

It says the change will extend Special Nature Conservation Orders to cover activities carried out by people who are not owner-occupiers of the sites.

It would be a criminal offence for a person who has received an official notice to carry out an operation which has been specified in the SNCO, unless an exception applies.

Government conservation advisory body Natural England has said: “The introduction of the W class ferries can be expected to prolong ferry-induced impacts on intertidal habitats and consequently further losses are likely to be attributable to ferry operations even when mitigated by recent reductions in speed.”

Wightlink marketing manager Kerry Jackson said: “It’s only a consultation process. There’s nothing really I can say about it.”

And a spokesman for the harbour commissioners said the alterations had yet to be considered.