The UK may be about to be separated from Europe politically but bird interest groups from both sides of the English Channel are united in their fight to save fields vitally important to over-wintering waders and geese; see objection letters from the RSPB, International Wader Study Group, Global Flyway Network and many others on Havant Council’s planning page. Every year thousands of shorebirds fly down the East-Atlantic Flyway from northern Europe to spend the winter in food-rich harbours and estuaries along the south coast of England.
Havant Borough Council, along with many other local authorities in the south, have been told by the Government to build thousands of new homes, in Havant’s case more than 11,000, by the year 2036. Havant is a relatively small borough just 21.4 square miles in area but it includes internationally protected shorelines around Hayling Island, Chichester Harbour and Langstone Harbour.
This Government pressure has forced HBC to consider allowing development on land that has up till now been deemed sacrosanct. What has got ornithologists in fighting mood is the proposal by developer Persimmon to build 780 new dwellings on green fields south of South Downs College between College Road, Crookhorn and the A3M motorway.
Photo: Google Earth
View looking south east from above South Downs College. The A3(M) motorway can be seen leading south towards Langstone Harbour in the distance. There are also plans to build 97 houses on the college car park shown in the foreground.
Continue reading Havant planning application APP/19/01101 – Campdown
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