THE planned M4 relief road will destroy the habitats of diverse species of wildlife living on the Gwent Levels, a group of campaign organisations have claimed.

Among those which could be impacted are the first common cranes to successfully breed in Wales for more than 400 years.

With the long-awaited public inquiry into the proposed M4 relief road due to get underway tomorrow, a group of organisations including Friends of the Earth Cymru, RSPB Wales, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, Wildlife Trust Wales and the Woodland Trust have written a joint letter expressing concerns around the impact of the proposed new stretch of motorway on the protected Gwent Levels.

In the letter, which has also been signed by the Campaign for Better Transport, Buglife Cymru, Butterfly Conservation Wales, Sustrans Cymru, The Woodlanders and pro-Welsh language campaign group Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, the organisations say habitats used by the cranes, as well as dormice, otters, bats, water voles and rare bees will be destroyed if work goes ahead.

Calling the plan “an outdated approach which will do more harm than good”, the letter said: “The proposal for a new motorway was first mooted 25 years ago, it’s no surprise that it simply does not bear up to the scrutiny of our modern understanding of sustainable development which Wales has now brought into law.

“Welsh legislation for sustainable development and environmental management creates strong links to international commitments, recognises the critical role the natural environment plays in supporting society and the economy, and seeks to address the urgent threat of climate change.

“In this new context, the current proposal should never have reached public inquiry.”

The groups also said they were concerned about the amount of money due to be spent on the project, predicted to cost £1.1 billion.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “The public inquiry will allow the project, and its environmental mitigation measures, to be openly and robustly scrutinised by independent inspectors to determine whether it is the sustainable, long-term solution to the serious problems associated with this gateway to Wales.

“The outcome of the inquiry will inform a final decision on whether to proceed with construction.”

The inquiry at Newport’s Lysaght Institute is open to the public and is expected to last five months.

For more information visit m4-newport.persona-pi.com.