CONSERVATION watchdog English Nature is in the firing line over its continued opposition to new beds for growing watercress near Bere Regis.

Plans for major new cress beds stalled in Purbeck in November last year after a clash of advice from two government watchdogs - and put a question mark over additional employment opportunities they might represent.

But now the proposal is again to be debated by councillors tomorrow.

It has been feared that if additional beds to produce the salad crop do not gain approval in Purbeck the extra production could switch abroad - and be providing jobs on a farm in southern Europe.

The issue causing the problem involves soluble phosphates from fertilisers, high levels of which are often linked to ecological damage, and which enters rivers in run-off from farmland.

The question has been what effect increased production at the farm might have on the delicate ecology of the Bere stream and the Piddle river, home to game fish like salmon and native brown trout, and in an area where otters are regularly seen.

Last year the planners backed Natural England which had maintained an objection to the proposal on the grounds that 40 per cent more cress beds at Doddings Farm - where the salad crop has been grown for a century - could lead to extra phosphates seeping into watercourses.

The Environment Agency, however, thought levels could be controlled by monitoring - and did not object.

The plan, which comes from major international salad producing company Vitacress based at Andover, was submitted nearly two years ago.

Production and technical director for the cress company Dr Steve Rothwell said: "I think it is sad that Natural England seems set to oppose growing more of a traditional English crop, a true superfood known to help fight cancer, that provides rural employment and supports wonderful biodiversity."

He added: "If successful all they will achieve is a fuelling of imports, a degradation of our carbon footprint - we could save over 100 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year by building the new beds - and a decline in the Dorset watercress industry to the point it is unviable."

And he contends: "That I think will ultimately be worse for the site of special scientific interest and our broader environment."

Last year the application was deferred in the hope that the two watchdog bodies, the council - and Vitacress - would meet and thrash out the issues.

The target for soluble phosphates in the river has been agreed by the watchdog agencies as being for 60 parts per billion of soluble reactive phosphate at a spot just downstream of the watercress farm.

The watercress company has now confirmed that not only has it implemented those recommendations for changes proposed by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology at Doddings Farm - but is also doing so at two other local farms.

That means the expectation is that river phosphate levels will fall below the 60 level - even after the creation of the new beds. And the Doddings Farm beds are already in the process of being converted to organic cultivation - which has meant ceasing the use of soluble phosphates fertiliser there - and that will also have knock-on effect of lessening the levels in local waterways.

Now the plan is being recommended for approval, though the proposed condition is that go-ahead depends on planners, Vitacress - and the two watchdog agencies - being able to agree a set of conditions to measure and control the water quality of the Bere stream.