24 Jul 2024
Environmental campaigner Dr Robert Wareing has spent many years fighting to preserve Bedmond Lane wildlife meadow from development. With the district council’s draft Local Plan shockingly including the site, he has made a personal appeal to St Albans MP Daisy Cooper asking if she can persuade Lib Dem colleagues to change their minds…
Dear Daisy,
I appeal to you personally to stop your district councillor colleagues from making a catastrophic mistake.
I understand the division of responsibility between central and local government in respect of planning. However, because of the close relationship you enjoy with local councillors under the auspices of the Lib Dem Party, and for the significant role you have played in campaigning to protect the Green Belt, I ask that you consider asking – or even persuading – your local colleagues to reconsider the inclusion of Bedmond Lane Wildlife Meadow in the Local Plan.
It contravenes the emphasis placed in the NPPF on the requirement to encourage biodiversity, green infrastructure and natural environment as fundamental to people’s health. It is therefore also contrary to identical aims promoted by the Environment Act 2021.
It flies in the face of the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 which states: “We will halt the decline in our biodiversity so we can achieve thriving plants and wildlife … This goal is at the apex of our plan: all other goals will help us to achieve it.” The Government Plan has a commitment “to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife rich habitat by 2042”. This plan was presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 10(6) of the Environment Act 2021.
Councillors for Verulam Ward have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with local residents in fighting to preserve Bedmond Lane Wildlife Meadow over many years as a succession of planning applications to develop the land have been made by the owners. They are therefore fully aware of the biodiversity and value of this meadow. So much so, it was designated as an Asset of Community Value by SADC. Local councillors’ knowledge and experience should have corrected the obvious error of its inclusion in the Draft Local Plan.
Therefore, the proposal that Bedmond Lane Wildlife Meadow has potential for development, not only goes against SADC own declared policy, it also flies in the face of the Government’s NPPF and Environmental Improvement Plan 2023, and is in conflict with local councillors’ knowledge and experience. It also contravenes local expert opinion from Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust (HMWT).
The inclusion of the meadow has been criticised by Matt Dodds, the planning and biodiversity manager at HMWT.
In a scathing and compelling submission, based on irrefutable evidence – with which I wholeheartedly concur – he states the inclusion of Bedmond Lane Meadow, St Albans: “… is totally in conflict with national planning policy, as set out in NPPF and the draft policies of the Local Plan, as set out in the regulation 18 consultation. To include this site would be to contradict the policies of the Local Plan and and make a mockery of any environmental credentials the council professes to promote… It could not be more precious for people and wildlife … It is the epitome of the sort of site that should be protected in accordance with local and national policy.”
And it should be noted that Matt Dodds is a totally independent expert in this discipline.
The key point missed by the Arup Report is that Site M3, Bedmond Lane Wildlife Meadow and its environs are not just an ordinary field in the Green Belt. It is extraordinary and very special both in terms of supporting a massive range of biodiversity and – as a former Asset of Community Value – the extent of its use by many local people for outdoor recreational, social, sporting and educational activities over five decades.
This wildflower and wildlife meadow has, in previous planning applications, been described by the Hertfordshire & Middlesex Wildlife Trust (HMWT) as “unique in St Albans and of significant ecological value and importance”. It is one of the very rare examples of a true natural wildflower and wildlife meadow that remain in this county.
The meadow is also recognised by the Hertfordshire County Council ecologist as “floristically rich” and “supporting a sufficiently diverse range of plants to meet Local Wildlife Site status”.
The diversity and rich mosaic of different forms of life it sustains is huge and includes many mature trees (some with TPOs) and a vast array of self-seeded flora: I have identified more than 150 different species of wildflowers and have been unable to identify at least as many again. These share this precious space together with a variety of fauna (including deer and foxes), many species of insects (especially butterflies) and a large range of birds (from red kites to owls) and lots of invertebrates. The beauty of this wildlife meadow is like an ecological kaleidoscope, constantly changing through the seasons. And its value to the environment is immense. Even protected species of orchid can be found there.
In their submission, HMWT state: “The site itself is a species rich mosaic of habitats including species rich chalk grassland, species rich neutral grassland and scrub. It easily qualifies as a local wildlife site and the only reason that it is not designated as such is because the landowner permission required to designate the site has not been given.
“It is a de-facto Local Wildlife Site and should be considered as such. St Albans district council has been made aware of its value many times. Recent surveys conducted by the ecologist acting for the developer on another application to establish for horse grazing on the site confirmed its botanical value, despite failing to record its most spectacular species – Lizard Orchid, one of rarest plants in the county.”
In their scathing criticism HMWT go on to say: “By including this site, the council will be endorsing the destruction of green infrastructure for its role in combating climate change and supporting biodiversity, along with its value for recreation, health and wellbeing, and landscape value.”
They conclude: “Categorically, for the avoidance of doubt, it will not be possible to deliver biodiversity net gain on this site, within the proposed plans.”
It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. I have taken many thousands of photographs of the meadow, over more than 50 years, which clearly show the beauty and amazing diversity of wildlife which flourish in this meadow.
I attach a small sample of these photographs. And I urge you to take a few moments to enjoy these, to be calm, and to reflect on the strength of the argument to preserve this precious meadow.
Despite all the constant pressures you experience, please can I request that your office ensure you have sight of this email and, crucially, the photographs that I have taken of the meadow.
This really is a last minute plea because I am aware that the results of the Regulation 18 consultation are due to be published imminently.
Kindest regards,
Dr Robert Wareing
