Please help protect an SSSI in Wales

Hi

I'm trying to raise support to object to a planning permission which will damage a nesting site and bird habitat in Wales. The application is being made by Powys County Council and is for a temporary camp site during the Royal Welsh Show for around 200 travellers' caravans on a site which has open access to an adjacent Site of Special Scientific Interest, which is a wooded island surrounded by the River Wye, south of Builth Wells in Powys.

The SSSI (grid ref 067485) has previously been damaged by illegal occupation of the site: this means a huge amount of general disturbance as there no barrier fence between the site and the SSSI:  trees have been cut down or burnt, vegetation trampled under foot and by quad bikes, litter and chemicals spilt and the whole SSSI disrupted. This must impact on the local bird life and mammals: we've got an otter holt within 150 metres of the caravan site and regularly see a really wide range of river birds here, from kingfishers and dippers to grey wagtails and goosanders. 

It's really amazing that Powys Council seems to be happy to ignore the habitat impact and just wants to try and push this through, in spite of knowing that it'll lead to damage. If anyone is prepared to email them to object, that would be great. If so, the details are:

Application reference is "P/2010/0254 (Planning Application for temporary site at Ysgiog, near Builth Wells)" and the contact person is:

Mr Julian Edwards, Powys County Council, Planning Department

Neuadd Brycheiniog

Cambrian Way

Brecon

Powys LD3 7HR

Email: julian.edwards@powys.gov.uk

If you need any more info, just let me know.

Thanks in advance.

Hugo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Hi
    Can you not set up an on-line petition that we could all sign, or perhaps give me some advice on wording of the objection. Being from the other end of the country it would help. I am happy to support such a worthwhile objection

    Of all creatures, man is the most detestable, he is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain.
    ~ Mark Twain

  • Sure - I can suggest some text later when I'm back at home - will update this evening. Thanks!

  • Ok, I would suggest that you email Julian Edwards, Powys County Council Planning Department at julian.edwards@powys.gov.uk something along the following lines.

    ---------------------------------------------------------

    subject: P/2010/0254 Planning Application for temporary site at Ysgiog.

    Dear Mr Edwards,

    I would like to object to the above planning application on the grounds that it will lead to damage to the neighbouring Site of Special Scientific Interest (the river Wye). This damage will inevitably result from the use of the Ysgiog field as a temporary caravan site as the SSSI cannot be effectively protected from incursion which will result in habitat damage, pollution and disruption of wildlife.

    I would ask that the Council withdraws this apolication and attempts to find a more suitable site for this purpose.

    ------------------------------------------------

    I hope this helps! If anyone can write, this will make a real difference. You might want to vary the words a little but the above text should get the message across. Thanks everyone!

     

  • Hugo

    It might also be worth reminding the Planning Authority of their statutory obligation towards conserving biodiversity (reproduced in full below). The relevant provision is Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (so not exactly vintage legislation). Here's a link to the entire Act.

    http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2006/ukpga_20060016_en_1

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Duty to conserve biodiversity

    (1) Every public authority must, in exercising its functions, have regard, so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of those functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity.

    (2) In complying with subsection (1), a Minister of the Crown, government department or the National Assembly for Wales must in particular have regard to the United Nations Environmental Programme Convention on Biological Diversity of 1992.

    (3) Conserving biodiversity includes, in relation to a living organism or type of habitat, restoring or enhancing a population or habitat.

    (4) “Public authority” means any of the following—

    (a) a Minister of the Crown;

    (b) the National Assembly for Wales;

    (c) a public body (including a government department, a local authority and a local planning authority);

    (d) a person holding an office—

    (i) under the Crown,

    (ii) created or continued in existence by a public general Act, or

    (iii) the remuneration in respect of which is paid out of money provided by Parliament;

    (e) a statutory undertaker.

    (5) In this section—

    • “local authority” means—

      (a)

      in relation to England, a county council, a district council, a parish council, a London borough council, the Common Council of the City of London or the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

      (b)

      in relation to Wales, a county council, a county borough council or a community council;

    • “local planning authority” has the same meaning as in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (c. 8);

    • “Minister of the Crown” has the same meaning as in the Ministers of the Crown Act 1975 (c. 26);

    • “statutory undertaker” means a person who is or is deemed to be a statutory undertaker for the purposes of any provision of Part 11 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

    Every day a little more irate about bird of prey persecution, and I have a cat - Got a problem with that?

  • Thanks John B - really useful info. I'll make this point to PCC.

    Cheers

    Hugo

     

  • I have sent my email, including the points raised by John B also
    Good Luck Please let us know how it goes.

    Of all creatures, man is the most detestable, he is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain.
    ~ Mark Twain

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous 22/04/2010 05:18 in reply to JudiM

    Best of luck with all the objections and I hope that there is some action taken.

    Regards

    Kathy and Dave

  • Hi - very commendable that you're putting in the effort to try and stop this from going ahead - you may be able to find some more help and ideas using the RSPB Take Action for Wildlife pack, which has been designed to help in these circumstances - http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/takeaction/index.asp 

    Good luck!

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