Hi all,
I just wanted to ask your opinions. Developers are currently digging up the airfield and fields near me, checking for old bombs etc, in preparation for building houses. yesterday I noticed the skylarks have returned, obviously looking for nesting. Do I need to report this? If so to who?
many thanks
Georgie
Hi Georgie, hopefully somebody will have a helpful reply, in the meantime this guide on how to assess the value of a wildlife site (PDF) might be useful, taken from the RSPB website on protecting wildlife from planning
Hi,
Very difficult I'm afraid. Now, more than ever, it will be nigh on impossible to do anything. UK needs housing, planning rules are evolving, etc etc. Skylarks, sadly, will be one of those most affected. It's been happening in recent years anyway, and will only continue at a more rapid pace. 'Brownfields' are often literally what skylarks prefer, whether it's airfields or fallow/unused fields. Even conservation organisations and politicians call for primarily building on 'brown field sites' in preference to 'greenfield'. Two different meanings of 'brown field', but skylark habitat fits both meanings. Unless someone can come up with alternatives, 'opposition' of everything will fail, and development incl house building, pylons, nuclear energy etc will gather pace.