BADGER SETS IN GROBY ON POTENTIAL NEW HOUSING SITE (email to S Atkinson HBBC 23/2/09)

Copy of email sent to P Batty (GPC) then sent to Steve Atkinson (HBBC):

Dear Mr. Atkinson,

Nothing is straightforward and certainly not always as it seems.

I have just received this email after having been contacted over the course of the last few days by some of the nature conservation activists in Groby who are very concerned with the housing proposal for this site and the sudden activity of Bloors on this land after more than 20 years of neglect, fencing the land off to stop public access to the 2 footpaths that have been formed and well used without challenge since at least 1980 (before Bloors bought the land).

I thought the Borough Council should be aware as it could possibly be drawn into another hornet's nest.

Kind regards,


Peter Batty



----- Original Message -----
From: **** ********
To: Peter Batty
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 7:29 PM
Subject: Re: BADGER SETS IN GROBY ON POTENTIAL NEW HOUSING SITE

Peter,

Me and ***** visited the site next to the cemetery today. There is an active badger sett on the site. It is sited midway up the hedgerow that runs between Butlers Field and the adjacent field.

The sett area has already been disturbed due to the clearance of vegetation for the erection of posts for a fence.

Whoever has been doing the clearing must be aware of the sett because of the work that has been done.

Initial concerns about why the fencing is being done and that it will limit existing badger movement within the site. Do you know who is doing the fencing and for what purpose? What is intended for the field? Is their a housing development planned for this area? We are concerned about the amount of clearance of vegetation that has gone on on the site.

We have also heard that a development is planned for the other end of Sachevrel Way. Do you know what is happening here?

The field next to Butlers Field would be a key foraging area for badgers due to its wildness and lack of intervention for some time. The field would support a wide variety of other wildlife in the light of this.

There are two ponds in this area, one larger one adjacent to Sachevrell Way and the other in the field in question. Both ponds may contain newts (there is a history of greater crested newts in this vicinity) and would also support other wildlife such as bats. Both need some conservation work.

As far as any building development on this site is concerned badger setts are protected by law but sadly many building and developments are taking place on land near to setts. The result is that setts can be destroyed and vital badger feeding areas can be lost. As badgers are territorial they cannot simply move to another area so whole badger familes die out. Local badger groups assess planning applications in their area and carry out surveys for badger activity. They then advise developers and the various agencies involved to ensure the badgers are not harmed by the development. The National Federation of Badger Group(NFBG) provide information to planning authorities developers and the public on how development can take place while still protecting the badgers.

This site we feel should be preserved as a conservation area and protected from any development permanently.

We will contact the secretary of the Local badger group who is very knowledgable on legal issues and try and get them to inspect the site.

Regards,

***** and ****