It’s featured here before and this time it’s an England-wide call to arms.
Regular readers of our Conservation Director Martin Harper’s blog will know that over the past two years we’ve been fighting to prevent the development of up to 5,000 houses on an ex-military training ground at Lodge Hill, in Medway, Kent because of the site’s extraordinary value to the UK’s nightingale population. Last year it became the first ever protected area in the UK for nightingales, as well as it’s ancient woodland, rare grassland and other wildlife.
The planning application had been objected to by a range of conservation organisations, including us, Kent Wildlife Trust, Buglife, CPRE Protect Kent and even Natural England, the Government’s own environmental advisors, as well as over 400 local residents and organisations.
So we were deeply dismayed when on Thursday evening, despite vigorous local opposition in the room and from other Councillors, Medway Council’s Planning Committee voted unanimously to approve the development on Lodge Hill.
The Lodge Hill development will set a precedent for the whole of England. If this development goes ahead, not only do we lose one of the best homes – and only protected site – in the country for nightingales, but this decision undermines the Government’s own tests to prevent damaging development on every other nationally protected area around the country, meaning that they too could be at risk from harmful activities in the future.
Our protected areas are protected for good reason, and this is not something we can allow to happen. Fortunately, there is still a way to stop it.
Eric Pickles, the Minister with overall responsibility for housing decisions, can 'call in' the application and make the decision himself, following a public inquiry. But he’ll only do so if he’s convinced that this development has a national impact and is nationally controversial.
Please ask Eric Pickles to ‘call in’ this application today
Please show him that this is a big national issue by sharing it with all your friends too. We cannot stand by and let the protection of our best sites become meaningless.
You can find Martin’s latest instalment here and the history of this case as well as links to Martin’s other blogs on our Lodge Hill Casework pages.
Thank you, as always for your help, and do spread the word about this one far and wide – we must convince Mr Pickles to call this in.
Hi Roy, Eric Pickles recused himself as soon as the 21-day official request period was over (Ministers could, at their discretion, still count representations after this time, so our action is still live). He hasn't announced who will be taking the decision in his place, but the most likely candidate would seem to be Brandon Lewis, who's the Minister for Housing and Planning.
We're hoping to hear more news once the outcome of the Rochester and Strood by-election on Thursday is clear but haven't had any indication of when a decision could be made, or by whom, yet, so it's still watch this space!
I see Eric Pickles has now declared himself out of the consideration of the issue as he is an RSPB member! Who will be taking this on?
I have responded. Let's hope loads of others do as well.