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27th Oct, 2007
The Network has received a plea for help from a group on the Isle of Wight. The group has been formed to oppose development on a site which has been naturally regenerating for about 30 years. It is now home to over 42 different species of bird, a badger, many different plants, trees and insects.
Group leader Jackie Hawkins says ‘The proposed housing development will destroy this area of woodland, scrub and grassland. We would be extremely grateful if for any assistance or advice people can give. We have been in contact with the wildlife trust and we have a letter of objection from them, but it is mostly about mitigation for the wildlife. Although the planning officer is in the process of drawing up a list of amendments I feel that it probably won't go far enough and really what we need to do is find a way of protecting this area. The main problem to overcome, is the site is privately owned and listed in the UDP as a development zone and as you can imagine worth a small fortune. What we could do with is someone who can decipher all the planning rules and regulations and the relevant wildlife and countryside documents. After all a lot is being written about the value of urban greenspaces. We have a forum, the address is http://bravo.messageboard.eu/31654 and we are on facebook and my space, our group name is S.O.N.G.S.
Jackie also provided the following additional information*.
In recent years only approximately one third of the site was in use so consequently the other two thirds grew into a wildlife haven, especially as there has been so much development in this area a lot of the wildlife has moved into this patch of land. The situation at the present time is that David Wilson Homes has submitted an application, there have been letters of objections, including ones from the Environment Agency, Wildlife Trust and Southern Water and our planning department are in the process of drawing up a list of amendments. My fears are that these will not go far enough to protect this area and its inhabitants a lot of which will be mitigated for. I have strong reservations about the effectiveness of this having seen what has happened on a nearby site which I can only describe as 'damn right disgusting'. As I understand it the way to try and get this area protected is to apply to the Secretary of State for the Environment to redesignate the area. It is in the UDP as a brownfield site and zoned for development albeit this was written in 1995.
If anyone can help Jackie please contact her direct using the contact details above.
