Save the Chattenden Woods Nightingales

Lodge Hill proposal; bulldozing over greenspace in the Tory heartlands.

We all know the Conservatives are in the pockets of the developers; watering down planning laws and planning the destruction of green belt land.

They have always been thus; The 'Conserve' part always comes second to earning a quick penny and if that involves putting in new houses in a field near you that is fine; the local plan is weak compared to other areas so it will happen on appeal.

One such proposal is for Lodge Hill which I have grave concerns over; with so much land in urban Rochester, Strood and Gillingham ripe for development, it is very concerning to see green space being bulldozed over at the behest of salivating Conservatives.

Our local MPs and Councillor's moaned extensively about Prescott bulldozing over greenland in the 1990s/2000s but this project is significantly larger than any proposed previously; and it does bulldoze over greenland.

The consultation, if you can call if that, has been a total farce. Hardly anyone knows about this scheme which will cause massive traffic upheaval and congestion into Strood and onto the M2.

The local RSPB is fighting back.

Nightingales are currently on the amber list of the “Birds of Conservation Concern”. They are continuing to seriously decline in numbers and range, and may sadly be moved to the red list of threatened species. Kent is the most important county in the UK for this species with more than 27% of the UK population, and Chattenden Woods is one of the most important sites in Kent. However, Chattenden Woods is at risk from proposals to build a development of 5,000 homes, a hotel and a shopping centre.

Not only this, but a further 100 acres of unprotected dense scrub networks , ideal nightingale habitat, will also be destroyed to make way for the development. These two sites combined are home to more than 1% of the UK’s breeding nightingale population.

An outline planning application has been registered with Medway Council Under the Reference MC/11/2516. To view the application click here and in the Application Number box enter MC/11/2516 and click on Search. The cut-off date to object to this application is now the 12th. December 2011, so we don’t have a lot of time.

To voice your objection email Medway Council at planning.representations@medway.gov.uk or write to: Development Control, Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR.

Comments to use in your objection may include the following :

1. Biodiversity survey work done to date on the site and surrounding habitat is questionable. We don’t know exactly how many nightingales are currently supported by the development site and surrounding woodland. However, we do know it is at least 50 singing males, but it is quite likely to be more.
2. An equal amount of replacement habitat as that which is lost needs to be created off-site. Even if nightingale habitat is retained on the development site, it is unlikely that it will be capable of supporting nightingales as they are very susceptible to disturbance, so this habitat needs to be replaced too.
3. Replacement habitat needs to be fully ecologically functioning prior to the scrub being cleared. The dense scrub which nightingales need to breed successfully can take 10-15 years to establish.

To reinforce your message try to include the terms “object to” or “strongly disagree”.Please inform as many friends, family, friends of friends, work colleagues and anyone else you can think of to do the same.

For any replies that you receive, please could you forward them to Sophie Flax, email sophie.flax@rspb.org.uk.