The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Posted on behalf of Mark Bannister

On the North Lincolnshire Council website, there is a development plan entitled “The Housing and Employment Land Allocations DPD”. They have released it to enable people to comment on the suggested developments (part of their LDF - local development framework). The consultation period is from 5th October 2007 to 16th November 2007.

Regarding the DPD, North Lincs Council claim: “…..Its main purpose is to allocate sufficient land for housing, employment and retail, to meet the needs of North Lincolnshire to 2021 and beyond”…blah blah …..”The real focus is finding out what you think. This is your chance to have your say and input into planning the future of North Lincolnshire.”

One of the ‘suggested sites’ for development is East Halton Marshes and Killingholme Marshes, which are on the south Humber bank, upstream and downstream from the Killingholme Haven area. The proposed development will, in effect, extend the industrialised strip along the south Humber bank pretty much unbroken all the way from Grimsby up to East Halton Skitter.

I believe that the East Halton and Killingholme Marshes area have already been purchased by ABLE UK. I don’t know the details of the development proposal, but looking at ABLE UK’s website, they say “…The land is being developed with the sole objective of providing facilities in connection with port related activities, in particular, to provide new vehicle storage and distribution facilities which can be used for import and export, container storage, de-stuffing/stuffing and distribution, warehousing and manufacturing facilities”. You may also be familiar with one of ABLE UK’s current ‘developments’, also known as the vast car park surrounding Killingholme Haven wader pits, a more depressing sight I know not.

I asked both the Lincs Wildlife Trust and RSPB if they had any concerns.

The Lincs Wildlife Trust had not come up with any response yet….a bit disappointing.

The RSPB, thankfully, seem to be on the case, comments copied below. The area conservation officer agreed that I could copy her comments here, but asked that any further queries be directed to the regional office.

My concerns are similar to those of the RSPB (below). If you feel the urge to comment you can access the development plan on the North Lincs council website and make comments directly into comment boxes:

http://www.northlincs.gov.uk/NorthLincs ... ptions.htm

then click the link called 'Issues and Options document online'

and click on 'Appendix One - Details of Suggested Sites', then scroll down or search for 'Inset 57- South Humber Bank'. There's also a link to a map.

You do need to register to make the comments online. I’ve registered and commented on several documents over the past year or so with no ill effects, so the system does seem to work OK, in case you are concerned. I guess you could always put pen to paper if you don’t like the idea of registering.

You should also be aware that anyone can read your comments online once submitted. You should find my rant there in due course (apparently it has to be deemed ‘valid’ before it is displayed).

Last time I looked nobody had made any comments which, of course, they could point to as good reason to go ahead.

Mark Bannister
Barton-Upon-Humber


Copy of RSPB Comments

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Mark,


Thank you for your comments. I totally agree with your concerns. We are aware of this issue and we certainly will be providing comments to N Lincs Council regarding both the LDF and any individual development proposal that comes forward for this site.

Our main concerns are

- loss of roosting habitat (& feeding habitat) for Humber SPA birds

- cumulative impacts on the SPA with other nearby developments (especially high tide roosts)

- SPA habitat loss through coastal squeeze and maintenance of flood defences

- cumulative impacts on hydrology and unsustainable flood plain development

- loss of opportunity for managed realignment as site was identified as potential in the Humber Flood Risk Management Strategy

There is currently a lack of sufficiently robust data for this site/the south bank area (a study has just been funded by Yorkshire Forward and is now underway to address this). However, we believe this situation is urgent, and so we will be compiling a case from the limited data available over the next few weeks, and will be approaching the authorities with this.

We would strongly urge you write to the Council with your concerns as you suggest, and if any of your neighbours or colleagues are able to do the same, then even better (our regional offices can provide a Wildlife Action Pack to help members of the public express their concerns over issues like this to local authorities). As the area Conservation Officer this is currently one of my biggest concerns, and it is my belief that we need all the support we can get.

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

Good work Mark and Andrew. I think birders should realise how many threats there are to wild birds and their habitats, and increase their efforts to protect them. I will certainly be adding my comments.


I suspect the Lincs Wildllife Trust aren't that interested because no sheep are involved.

Cheers

Steve