100 signatures reached
To: George Candler, Director of Economy and Place, North Northants Council
Save the Curlew at Landal Rockingham Forest Park
Photo courtesy of Joshua J Cotten
In late April 2022 planning application NE/22/00266/FUL was published on the North Northants Council (NNC) portal proposing to significantly expand the existing lodge caravan site and construct environmentally damaging infrastructure. Building on open grassland that has been in existence since medieval times when Rockingham Forest covered most of Northants, installing foul drainage infrastructure over 2km+ of disused railway track across open countryside into the village of Kings Cliffe, widening the access road which runs through remnants of ancient Rockingham Forest and up to opposite Bedford Purlieus SSSi as well as commencing on- site quarrying again for minerals to support the development will no doubt have a huge detrimental impact on the rural environment full of rare and protected biodiversity. However, no Environmental Impact Assessment has been carried out as is required by Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2017.
By viewing the Nassington/Kings Cliffe area on the Northants Council Minerals & Waste Local Plan (http://northamptonshire.opus3.co.uk/ldf/maps) and ticking the box on the left hand side the huge number of local wildlife sites and SSSi’s that may be damaged or destroyed can be seen when compared against the plans for this expanding tourist development. The historic quarrying permissions referred to in the application (92/00386/CRA) can also be viewed on the NNC portal. However this environmentally damaging activity needs modern day planning permission in place and input from relevant statutory consultees such as the council's Minerals & Waste department, Environment Agency and Natural England.
This development will certainly have a significant detrimental impact on the curlews habitat as the proposed routes for construction traffic are the existing access road, now used by lodge guests vehicles, and the NM30 bridleway used by horse riders, walkers and cyclists. These routes run through the curlews' grassland habitat surrounding the existing lodges. Being site loyal they return each year to Landal Rockingham Forest Park as their spring/summer breeding habitat.
The curlews were first identified in the 2014 on site bird surveys carried out for the existing caravan lodge site planning application (14/02225/FUL) and have been regularly seen and heard since then despite very intrusive construction activities to support the existing lodge site over the last few years. In 2020 very close to where the curlews were heard and seen wandering around the sandstone crusher was emitting 92DB whilst crushing minerals that had been quarried on site. In addition for many months excavators and plant equipment made constant trips daily between the adjacent industrial estate and construction site passing in close proximity to where the curlews were located.
This year the arrival of the curlews to Landal Rockingham Forest Park was no different. Early one sunny morning in mid March I saw them fly over my garden southwards heralding the sign of spring. However what the future brings for these rare birds with the proposed huge expansion of the tourist site has yet to be determined.
Why is this important?
Since December 2015 the curlew has been on the Birds of Conservation Concern red list as numbers have plummeted 50% in 25 years. The curlew may soon be extinct. Urgent conservations efforts across the UK are required and are being spearheaded by the Curlew Recovery Partnership -www.curlewrecovery.org. This is one of the few sites in Northamptonshire where curlews are known to be located.
The curlews return to Landal Rockingham Forest Park each March with their haunting cry heralding the arrival of spring to the boggy grassland and wide open spaces which provides perfect breeding habitat during spring/summer to raise their chicks. Curlews need long grass from spring onwards to provide cover from predators for their eggs and chicks however since the park opened in May 2021 the grassland surrounding the lodges is regularly cut from February onwards. As part of the 2015 planning permission requirements the tourist development had been required to manage the grassland sympathetically for ground nesting birds in accordance with ecological advice.
The many months of intrusive construction of and expansion of the holiday park could mean the death knell for the curlew on this North Northamptonshire site and will contribute to their national decline.
During 2021 and 2022 I have tried to raise awareness of the curlews’ presence on the holiday park with the family owners of the land, site manager, the senior ecologist of Lockhart Garrett advising the development, British Trust for Ornithology, RSPB, Northants Wildlife Trust, Natural England, council’s ecologist (who is also Project Manager for the council's Minerals & Waste department) and Dean Wishart, Planning Officer hoping that that the curlews will have protection and conservation will be supported.
Professor Russell Wynn, Manager of the Curlew Recovery Partnership has also communicated with the private and council ecologists about the curlews’ presence on the land to offer advice.
Professor Wynn would be more than willing to offer ongoing help and support about curlew conservation should this be of interest.
If you wish to object about this development I hope you will sign this petition which will be lodged with George Candler, Director of Economy and Place with North Northants Council responsible for signing off planning applications.
In addition a copy will be lodged with Paul Hardingham of Landal Greenparks UK.
I would also urge you to send an objection to NE/22/00266/FUL to North Northants Council as there are currently very few objections about this development and it will soon be decided.
I hope you can help.
Time is running out to save the curlew on Landal Rockingham Forest Park………
How it will be delivered
In person to:
George Candler at the North Northants Council offices.
Paul Hardingham at the Landal Greenparks UK Head Office.
