tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222054864298884166.post979511194860866152..comments2023-04-02T22:44:10.750+01:00Comments on Save Thorpe Woodlands: Latest campaign newsJohn Allawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13516900866339918866noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222054864298884166.post-69587680665202691982010-08-21T11:27:26.955+01:002010-08-21T11:27:26.955+01:00Great coverage in the Evening News (see http://tin...Great coverage in the Evening News (see http://tinyurl.com/37albe4 if you missed it). Well done!SNUBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222054864298884166.post-55545212077934608792010-08-20T21:55:12.551+01:002010-08-20T21:55:12.551+01:00Thanks for your comment anonymous. In fact, the e...Thanks for your comment anonymous. In fact, the entire woodland area covering all three woods is a County Wildlife Site, and I'm glad to say there is no prospect of CWS designation being revoked. The heath remnants are still there, and have if anything expanded since the owners felled a fairly large area of softwoods a year or two ago. Norfolk Wildlife Trust considers the habitat quality to remain well above the CWS threshold, and our own surveys have discovered a number of species of flora & fauna that were previously unrecorded (white admiral butterfly being just one example).<br /><br />As you say, the site is excellent for reptiles, with adder, grass snake, common lizard and slow worm all there in good numbers - very probably among the best sites for such species in Norfolk, outside SSSIs.<br /><br />For full information on number of houses proposed, proposed layout of the development etc, please see the first and second posts on this blog.John Allawaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222054864298884166.post-18576049543853996352010-08-19T16:49:48.633+01:002010-08-19T16:49:48.633+01:00I did go to the Charade, one of the early ones, an...I did go to the Charade, one of the early ones, and found Gail Mayhew in comabtive mood. Do you know that part of this site is a County Wildlife Site, which they are seeking to have rescinded? This is because it was classified as heathland, and they then coniferised it. The obvious lesson is that if landowners trash the ecological value of a site then they can get out of any planning constraints.<br /><br />I am a Tree Warden for Thorpe St Andrew, an unpaid Town Council rep and I am horrified at what they are trying to do. How many houses are they seeking to build now? She led me to believe at that meeting I attended it would be a few dozen, but I think she lied like a hairy egg:-)<br />There is a conifer plantation towards the back of the woodlands, but the point is this: to remove that, and build on it, would trash the rest of the woodland, fragment habitats and destroy the integrity of this valuable area.<br /><br />There are many, many snakes in this wood - more than I have EVER seen, anywhere, in one small area. A proper survey of them needs to be done, at the right time of year.<br /><br />Marion AmosAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222054864298884166.post-39988049156507963152010-08-14T11:04:28.722+01:002010-08-14T11:04:28.722+01:00In response to the above comment: There is no plan...In response to the above comment: There is no planning permission at present. The owners have made clear their intention to seek planning permission at some time in the near future (they told us September at a public meeting on 7th July). This is an unusual case as it has been initiated via the "Charrette" process, fronted by Andres Duany of DPZ - a very expensive American firm. The Masterplan they arrived at at the end of their eight-day charrette is, they have said, the basis for what they will be applying for. <br /><br />Despite huge local - and wider - opposition to the proposals, the owners still seem determined to press ahead. We expect a planning application at some point, but possibly not until after various strategic planning decisions have been finalised by the local authority and the Greater Norwich Development Partnership. These decisons may not be made until later in the year. <br /><br />In the meantime, we are trying to inform people about the proposals, and to clear up the misinformation broadcast by the owners. For details, please refer to the first and second blog posts, and the resources in the right-hand column. Thanks for your input and the ELF suggestion.John Allawaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222054864298884166.post-35688327393502187202010-08-13T23:53:19.026+01:002010-08-13T23:53:19.026+01:00It's not clear what stage this is at - is it o...It's not clear what stage this is at - is it outline planning permission that's been applied for? If so,ask for an environmental impact assessment (EIA) which is a must for this sort of site. If they say no, they won't do one, then seek legal advice. Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) can suggest someone. At the EIA, make sure wildlife concerns are heard, I would assume the Wildlife Trust can help with this. jen (j.jousiffe@btinternet.com)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com