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Save Kiln Meadow: |
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herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369  View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 04 Aug 2010 From the Save Kiln Meadow Facebook Group Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) has outline planning permission granted by Babergh District Council (BDC) for 200 homes to be built on Kiln Meadow. IBC plans to sell this land to a developer as soon as possible. Why does this matter? Kiln Meadow is an area south of Bobbits Lane, between Spring Wood and Bobbits Lane. It is bounded on three sides by Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) which are: * Spring Wood Ancient Woodland, a County Wildlife site and Local Nature Reserve * Millennium Wood, new woodland planted by lots of local volunteers and regenerated woodland. * Bobbits Lane LNR, wet meadows which provides habitat for rare species such as otter, water vole, kingfisher egrets, water rail, toad, etc. This whole area has a number of wildlife species that should be protected under the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) for Suffolk, including otter, water vole, bullfinch, skylark, reed bunting, song thrush, linnet, black poplar, common toad, as well as other rare species such as kingfisher, little egret, water rail, slow-worm, stag beetle, hobby. Developing Kiln Meadow will seriously affect the habitats, particularly the water meadows which rely on the fresh, clean water flowing through Kiln Meadow for their existence ? draining it, changing the hydrology and building houses will have a dramatic and adverse affect on the water meadows. Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
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herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369 View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 04 Aug 2010 Further stuff from the Facebook Page European toad (bufa bufa)This area is used intensively by local people for recreation and exercise; it is within a few miles of Ipswich town centre and so easily accessible on foot or by bike ? you don't have to get into your car to visit a beautiful patch of countryside. Over the last few years a 'toad patrol' has operated to assist European toads crossing Bobbits Lane. This spring, over 20 volunteers helped over 4,400 toads. This was the highest number of toads at one site in the country. This site is therefore of national importance for toads. They migrate from Spring Wood across Kiln Meadow and Bobbits Lane to the water meadows, and so their route would be completely destroyed. What can you do to assist the campaign? If you have an address in Ipswich Write or telephone your local councillors asking them to keep Kiln Meadow as a public space. A personalised approach is preferable to email, which can be ignored. Please do this now - so that your councillors are aware of the issue before the policy commitee meets (Nov 3rd, 2008). To find details of your local councillors, visit the Ipswich Borough Council website. Just enter your postcode at the bottom of that page, or click on your ward. If you live outside Ipswich, please write to Cllr John Carnall (Finance) and Cllr Richard Atkins (Planning and Economic Development). When writing to councillors it may be useful to include a map, as they may not know this part of Ipswich. A map of the area is available on the website http://www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/iwg/skim.htm and can be printed out (select "landscape" orientation when printing). Alternatively, you could write to local newspapers, radio or television. Tell your family, friends and work colleagues about the SKiM campaign. The more people who back the campaign, the greater the chance that Ipswich Borough Council will listen. SKi M - website pages Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
- Save Kiln Meadow |