Contrary to what ABP's chief executive, Bo Lerenius, may think (Business, last week), there is no looming shortage of container ports in Britain.

On the contrary, there are a number of schemes being put forward, any one of which will satisfy UK demand for many years.

ABP's application to develop Dibden Bay, a highly sensitive site on the edge of the New Forest, falls foul of numerous environmental safeguards, whereas all the alternatives are on brownfield sites. As the country will soon be awash with container capacity, there can be no justification for allowing the wanton destruction of an environmentally sensitive site.

JULIAN LEWIS MP (New Forest East)

Cadnam, Hampshire