15 Sep 2023
The inclusion of Bedmond Lane Wildlife Meadow in SADC’s draft Local Plan would make a mockery of any environmental credentials the council professes to promote, a senior wildlife expert has declared.
Matt Dodds, planning and biodiversity manager for Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, has urged the district council to see sense and remove the site – one of the most botanically diverse parts of the district – from its proposed planning blueprint.
He said: “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.
“The location of the site close to St Albans means that it is a highly valued and loved local resource, as evidenced as its designation as an Asset of Community Value by the local community.
“It could not be more precious for people and wildlife, yet it has been put forward as a development site in the Local Plan. It is the epitome of the sort of site that should be protected in accordance with local and national policy.”
He said there were numerous reasons why the site should not be included.
“This site was so loved by local people that they fought a long battle to have it designated as an Asset of Community Value. This designation was challenged by the owner in the strongest terms yet the community rallied together to defend it. How does including it in the site allocations plan recognise the important function it performs for them and for wildlife?
“Categorically, for the avoidance of doubt, it will not be possible to deliver biodiversity net gain on this site, within the proposed plans. Does SADC really want to put a site forward for development that could not possibly deliver net gain?
“Inclusion of this site is entirely inconsistent with a strategic approach to maintaining and enhancing networks of habitats or planning for the enhancement of natural capital.
“It would destroy several priority habitats, result in a massive biodiversity net loss, and destroy the only known example in the district of one of the county’s rarest plants.”
In the draft Local Plan, SADC claims it will work in partnership with stakeholders to protect, enhance and, where necessary, restore the district’s existing natural environment and biodiversity green infrastructure assets.
Mr Dodds said: “This is almost unworthy of comment it is so farcical. If the council applied this statement it would not even countenance including this site. By including it, it is actively invoking the destruction of the district’s existing natural environment and biodiversity green infrastructure assets. Its inclusion on the site allocation plan is an insult to stakeholders and in no way acting in partnership with them.
“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.
“It cannot be replaced by equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality in a suitable location. It just can’t.
“To suggest otherwise is ridiculous and I would be astonished if this had even been investigated before putting this site forward.”
He concluded: “HMWT are extremely disappointed that SADC has let this proposal go this far. The site will be ecologically impossible to deliver.
“Its inclusion represents a complete lack of understanding from SADC of the site’s ecological value, and total ignorance of the meaning of the ecological policies in their own Local Plan.
“HMWT sincerely hope that SADC see sense and remove this site.
“It will be contested in the strongest possible manner at all stages should it be included.”
Cllr Juliet Voisey from St Albans Greens said: “We have lost 97% of our wildflower meadows in this country, and locally we have lost the meadow at the former Butterfly World site. But we are very lucky to have an established meadow site at Bedmond Lane providing a rich varied ecosystem for years now.
“However this site has been again earmarked for housing development in the Local Plan.
“St Albans faces many challenges with housing; we desperately need more social housing and we don’t have enough space currently for what is needed. There will need to be some development.
“But we have a commitment to the climate emergency too, and indeed a biodiversity plan to provide a home for those ecosystems that live alongside us and that we ultimately depend on. It is for all our benefit, mentally and physically, to have a connection with nature. It’s proven to improve our wellbeing.
“We should be celebrating Bedmond Lane as a site that ticks all the boxes for our commitments to increasing biodiversity and wellbeing across the district. To try and emulate this elsewhere would take large amounts of money and years of work.
“To remove the meadow would go against all our climate pledges. Why are we trying to create wildflower areas in the district but at the same time planning on removing established ones?”
Timothy Beecroft, chair of Verulam Residents Association, was also outspoken about the need to protect the land: “Bedmond Lane is a site of enormous botanical and ecological importance – everybody knows that.
“Bedmond Lane is much loved by local residents, and the effort that residents over the last 50 years have put in to defending the site (including a trip to the High Court) bears witness to this – everybody knows that.
“St Albans district council’s efforts, under differing political control, over many years to develop a Local Plan have been absolutely dreadful – everybody knows that. “We have the second oldest Local Plan (circa 1994) in the country. And, as the peer review that the council themselves recently commissioned says: ‘After three failures, successive administrations have earned the council a national reputation for its egregious performance in Local Plan making’.
“So, do we need a Local Plan? Yes we do. Can we allow the urgency and importance of the need to get a Local Plan to override the legitimate concerns of residents? No we can’t.
“Will the VRA continue to do its best to ensure that residents’ views are heard and contribute to the production of a viable and realistic Local Plan – yes we will.
“Given the importance of the Local Plan across a wide range of issues, would we encourage anybody and everybody, no matter where they live within the district, to make their voices heard? – yes we would.
“And will we continue keep a laser-like focus on ensuring that Bedmond Lane is loved as it should be? Absolutely.”
Malcolm Hull, chair of Butterfly Conservation – Herts & Middlesex branch, a charity which aims to save butterflies, moths and our environment, added: “Hertfordshire has already lost over 25% of its butterfly species. Bedmond Lane Meadow is a rare example of an old field which hasn’t been subjected to the pressure of development or modern agriculture and has retained much of its wildlife value.
“It provides valuable habitat for local butterflies such as Small Copper and Common Blue – both much reduced in numbers in St Albans area.
“The site forms a valuable green link between Verulamium Park and the open countryside, providing butterflies and moths a place to feed as they pass through.
“It’s a little jewel and one of the last sites in the city which should be considered for development.”
More information at https://hertsmiddx-butterflies.org.uk/index.php
