Keep this fight going: the message is clear at LTC meeting at Shorne and Ashenbank

Posted , filed under Campaigns
The walk drew campaigners from a range of groups (pic Woodland Trust/Thames Crossing Action Group)

“This is not a done deal – the Lower Thames Crossing is hanging by a thread.”

Becca from Transport Action Network had travelled from Hampshire to join a range of campaigners for last week’s Woodland Trust walk at Shorne Woods Country Park and Ashenbank Wood near Gravesend.

Both sites (they comprise part of the same SSSI) are threatened by the proposed crossing, and those present on a swelteringly hot day (Wednesday, July 13) gained a first-hand look at what could be in store should Highways England’s largest road scheme come to be built.

“This is the biggest carbon-emitting scheme in the whole roads programme – it would bust the country’s carbon-reduction target,” Becca told the group.

More specifically, the road would effectively destroy what was described as the last green space between Medway and London – itself a damning indictment of how over-developed north-west Kent has become.

It is, of course, always good to talk and Tim Bell, county council ranger at the country park, said the original plans for the crossing would have “pulverised” the site but five years of discussion had gone a long way towards saving much of it.

The worst-case scenario would still result in the loss of 30 metres of the park’s woodland from the boundary fence, but if placement of utilities could be tackled, that loss could be cut to six metres.

Of course, factors such as noise pollution, nitrogen deposition, micro-climate changes and impact on heritage can’t be ignored however much the road, should it be built, carves into the wood. (It was pointed out that HE was only evaluating noise pollution 300 metres into the site… as if it stops at 301 metres!).

With the A2 chopping a thunderous wall of noise and fumes between the country park and Ashenbank, it would be disingenuous to suggest such matters aren’t already evident, but it was perhaps surprising how much the noise faded once we were deeper inside the woods.   

Happily, it made it easier to listen and learn about a place so rich in natural, historical and archaeological interest. We heard about dormice mitigation areas, the brown long-eared bats using an air-raid shelter as a winter roost, the Bronze Age barrow (a Scheduled Ancient Monument) at Ashenbank, the £1 million funding for tree surveys, the fact that any veteran trees existed here at all was near-miraculous given the demands of, for example, the war effort and the nearby cement industry… and very much more.

Sometimes the source of the threats came as a surprise – for example the diversion of National Cycle Route 177 through Ashenbank would necessitate the path on which we were walking being resurfaced and potentially widened – an intrusive and damaging process that the trust wanted assessed by Highways England itself… if only the agency’s officials would come and look for themselves.

We learnt that veteran trees don’t have legal protection (the trust is working on this) and that, even though the whole site is subject to a Tree Preservation Order, that won’t be enough to save them from a project such as the LTC.

Hot tip: you need to find a rare bug or insect on your veteran tree to increase its chances of protection.

The Lower Thames Crossing is a huge scheme – its costing of £8.2 billion eats up more than half Highways England’s capital enhancement budget of £14.7 billion – but its poor functional case and the environmental damage it would inflict on both Kent and Essex means the respective CPRE branches, together with so many other groups, oppose it.

The team at Shorne Woods Country Park have already won some handsome concessions in the planning process, but, as others pointed out on Wednesday, HE needs to keep the county council onside. Other organisations and campaigners might not find it so easy.

We’ll leave the final word to ranger Tim Bell: “Be assertive – you need detailed answers.” Or, in other words, don’t take no for an answer!

  • For more on the Lower Thames Crossing, see here

Monday, July 18, 2022

Let June Bloom… and marvel at nature’s magic

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Who could argue against the beauty of a natural garden like this?

We’re into the second half of Let June Bloom, the campaign launched this year by CPRE Kent, the countryside charity, and the benefits of taking part are gloriously apparent as wildlife thrives around us.

Many wildflowers and insects are at their peak in June, with plants such as cowslip, evening primrose, meadow clary and wild foxglove all blooming during this month.

Insects hatching in June include large white, small white and small blue butterflies, while painted ladies, red admirals and peacocks can all lend a blaze of colour to our parks and gardens.

Vicky Ellis, of CPRE Kent, said: “We’re asking people to give wildlife the best possible chance by not cutting back the flowers on which so much of it – and ultimately all of us – depends.”

The above picture was taken in Broadstairs by a resident who has indeed let his lawn bloom in June – the spread of bird’s foot trefoil, white clover and red valerian, among others, is the delightful result. We’ll say it again – Let June Bloom!

  • For more on Let June Bloom, see here

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Let June Bloom! CPRE Kent launches a very special campaign

Posted , filed under Campaigns
Our butterflies – this is a marbled white – are among the wide range of wildlife that depends on flowers

CPRE Kent, the countryside charity, is launching a new campaign, Let June Bloom.
Plantlife’s extremely successful No Mow May campaign is fantastic for helping protect spring flora – but it doesn’t stop there.
Our insect population is in freefall, the decline being eight times faster than that of mammals and birds; however, all are linked through the food chain.
The use of insecticides and plastic grass, the emphasis on neat and tidy gardens and the changing nature of our seasons due to global warming all negatively affect our precious insect population, leading to catastrophic decline. This is where Let June Bloom can help a little and give our insects a chance to thrive and in turn help our larger fauna.
Many wildflowers and insects come alive during June. Plants such as cowslip, evening primrose, meadow clary and wild foxglove all bloom in this month.
Insects that hatch in June include large white, small white and small blue butterflies.
June also sees the hatching of caterpillars such as copper underwing, garden tiger and gypsy moth, along with insect larvae including sawflies and beetles. Bees such as red-tailed bumblebee, tree bumblebee, wool carder bee, orange-tailed mining bee are all very active during this special month.
Allowing June to bloom is vital so wildflowers can carry on providing pollen for a host of insect species, allowing eggs of moths, butterflies and beetles to hatch and feed and so help our insect population thrive.
Vicky Ellis, of CPRE Kent, said: “June is such a special month for our wildlife. We’re asking people to give it the best possible chance by not cutting back the flowers on which so much of it – and ultimately all of us – depends. Let June Bloom!”

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Brilliant news! BBC Studios and ITV Studios pull support for Swanscombe theme park

Posted , filed under Campaigns
The future of the Swanscombe peninsula’s wildlife might be a little rosier after all (pic Buglife)

CPRE Kent is one of a coalition of charities to welcome the decision by BBC Studios and ITV Studios to withdraw their support for a proposed theme park in north Kent that would have a devastating impact on a nationally important wildlife site. We are now calling on Paramount Entertainment to similarly publicly sever ties with the developer.
However, despite BBC Studios’ confirmation that its agreement has expired and that London Resort can no longer use the BBC’s Intellectual Property, it appears that London Resort’s exclusive appointed investment partner, Armilla Capital, is still seeking to secure investment by promoting “signed long-term partnerships” with both BBC Studios and ITV Studios to lure investors.
The Swanscombe peninsula, which sits on the bank of the River Thames, is under threat from the proposed London Resort theme park, which would see more than 100 hectares of habitat concreted over.
Until recently, both BBC Studios and ITV Studios intended to pursue commercial relationships with London Resort theme park that would see rides and experiences built on their brands. However, following a letter signed by 12 national and local groups, both have revealed they no longer have agreements with London Resort, while ITV Studios has committed to ceasing all future involvement with the controversial development.
Matt Shardlow, chief executive of Buglife, said: “We welcome ITV Studios’ full recognition of the environmental harm this misplaced theme park would cause and its commitment to have no future involvement. 
“It’s great that BBC Studios has also withdrawn from the scheme, although a long-term commitment to never become involved would fit better with the BBC Studios image and environmental sustainability claims. We are disappointed that Paramount has not responded to British wildlife charities’ request to reconsider their involvement but hope it will do so and will join ITV Studios and BBC Studios in halting their support for destroying endangered species.  The theme of this wildlife oasis is nature and it must remain so.”
The Swanscombe peninsula is incredibly rich in wildlife, home to some of the UK’s most threatened species of plants and animals. More than 2,000 species of insects and other invertebrates have been recorded here, including the critically endangered distinguished jumping spider.
It is also the richest site in the South East for breeding birds, which live side by side with otters, water voles and rare plants such as man orchid. This is thanks to this special site’s remarkable mosaic of grasslands, coastal habitats, scrub and intricate wetlands, much of which is brownfield habitat that has been reclaimed by nature. In recognition of its valuable wildlife, it was made a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) last year.
Dr Hilary Newport, CPRE Kent director, said: “This is a fragile and tranquil oasis of dark skies, open space and extraordinary natural biodiversity. It is all the more precious because of its location in one of those parts of the South East subject to the most intense development pressure. In the light of the crisis of the climate emergency and catastrophic loss of biodiversity we simply cannot risk the degradation and loss of this vitally important site.”
The BBC has an international reputation for exemplary wildlife programming, with voices such as Sir David Attenborough’s highlighting the urgent need for action to save our environment to audiences worldwide.
ITV Studios has also gone to great effort to green its productions and instil an environmental culture, while on screen it has broadcast programmes such as A Planet for All of Us, featuring His Royal Highness Prince William. It has both paid attention to its own important messaging and decided to avoid involvement in the destruction of a nationally important wildlife site.
Donna Zimmer, from local campaign group Save Swanscombe Peninsula, said: “BBC Studios and ITV Studios must have been aware how this looked to their millions of viewers and we are really pleased that they have both stepped away from the London Resort – we hope they both now commit to doing so for good.
“For local communities in Swanscombe, Greenhithe and Northfleet, the peninsula is an essential and much-loved green lung, a place for peace and calm to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life in one of the most built-up and congested parts of the country. It is unthinkable that national broadcasters could have sought to benefit from a scheme that would deprive people of experiencing wildlife on their doorstep.”
Evan Bowen-Jones, chief executive at Kent Wildlife Trust, said: “At a time when society is increasingly concerned about the nature and climate crises, it is becoming commonplace for companies to talk about sustainability. But paper commitments are not enough. Only action counts.
“So we are pleased that ITV has severed all ties with the proposed London Resort. We now want to see the BBC do the same. This flagship British institution must confirm it will never work with a project that would do so much harm to our native wildlife if it is to have any green credibility at all.”
Unfortunately, despite the Swanscombe peninsula being notified as a SSSI in March 2021 by Natural England, the government’s adviser on the natural environment, it remains threatened by the application to build the theme park on it.
These proposals are being considered by the Planning Inspectorate as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), a process normally reserved for major roads, airports or power plants. This is the first ‘business or commercial project’ to be considered to date.

  • For more on the London Resort scheme, see here
  • To read why CPRE Kent views the project as so damaging, click here

Monday, February 28, 2022

Star Count is almost upon us… and we’re putting Swanscombe peninsula in the spotlight

Posted , filed under Campaigns

It’s time for this year’s CPRE Star Count, during which we ask you to become ‘citizen scientists’ by counting stars to help measure our dark skies.
We’re looking for counters across the county, of course, but just for now we’ll highlight a place on which we’re putting a particular focus (see what we did there?).
CPRE Kent has teamed up with the brilliant Save Swanscombe Peninsula group to present a range of events over the Star Count period of Saturday, February 26, to Sunday, March 6.
To get things under way, we’re hosting a Zoom event on Tuesday, February 22, at 7pm, during which CPRE Kent director Hilary Newport will introduce Star Count, explore the reasons behind studying the stars, explain how to take part and detail the devastating impacts of light pollution on people and wildlife alike.
The Swanscombe peninsula is home to an extraordinary range of wildlife but threatened by plans for the London Resort theme park. As part of the campaign to save the site from development, we aim to count the stars on-site and more broadly in the local area to demonstrate how much of a dark oasis the peninsula is – and how its wildlife could be affected by the blinding lights of a theme park.
The following week (beginning Tuesday, March 1) we’re asking people in the area to get involved by turning off their lights and turning up the stars.

This involves:

  • Choosing a clear night
  • Counting how many stars you can see within the constellation of Orion
  • Sharing your photos on our social-media pages with the hashtag #starcount

If you don’t know where Orion is, you can download a free CPRE Star Count family activity pack, which includes a checklist and star-finder template, here

Finally, we can all meet up in person for our Dark Skies Event on Saturday, March 5, when we will be gathering on the peninsula at 5.30pm to experience the magic of the stars, count them and just enjoy the beauty of the site.

  • To sign up to the Swanscombe Star Count and join Dr Newport’s talk on February 22, use the QR code on the above poster or click here
  • To join us for our Dark Skies Event at Botany Marshes, Northfleet, Swanscombe DA10 0PP, on March 5, phone 01233 714540 or email info@cprekent.org.uk for more information.
  • CPRE Kent and Save Swanscombe Peninsula are also working with Buglife, the RSPB and Kent Wildlife Trust in a combined effort to protect this wonderful site. To keep in touch with what we’re all doing, visit the CPRE Kent website here   

You can also follow us on Facebook:

@Save Swanscombe Peninsula SSSI

@CPREKent

… and on Twitter:

@sspcampaign

@CPREKent

@Buzz_dont_tweet (Buglife)

@KentWildlife (Kent Wildlife Trust)

@Natures_Voice (RSPB)

Tuesday, February 16, 2022

Faversham protest walk will focus on loss of countryside to thousands of houses… and people from across Kent are invited

Posted , filed under Campaigns
The countryside around Faversham is beautiful… whatever the weather (pic Julie Davies)

Faversham campaign group Farms, Fields & Fresh Air are hosting a peaceful protest walk on Saturday (January 22) highlighting damaging proposals for the countryside around the town presented in the Swale Local Plan.
The walk is timed to focus councillors’ minds before they finalise plans to site 17,000 houses across the borough for the Planning Inspectorate (Regulation 19 of the Local Plan process).
The gentle stroll starts at 11.30am from the United Church, Preston Street, Faversham ME13 8NS and will progress to the heart of the oldest market town in Kent, the Market Place itself.
You are warmly invited to come along and support this initiative. You can bring placards to show that the whole of Kent is united in anger at the rampant destruction of our county’s countryside. And when it’s your turn, hopefully people from Faversham and elsewhere will return the compliment.
Together as Kent, we are loud enough to be heard beyond local councils – as far as central government, from where a change in law to protect our green spaces, agricultural land and wildlife habitat from rampant development must come.
And if you have never been to the beautiful and historic town of Faversham, now is your chance. You will not just be helping to protect the fields in this area but across the whole of Kent – while having a great day out at the same time.

  • For more on Farms, Fields & Fresh Air, click here
  • If you have a countryside protection campaign reaching a critical point and you want to reach out across the county in a similar way, Save Kent’s Green Spaces will post the details if appropriate to the aim of saving Kent through peaceful protest.  
  • For more on Save Kent’s Green Spaces, click here

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Gravesham residents make their point on Day of Action

Posted , filed under Campaigns
Stop the Green Belt Grab!
Many turned out at Meopham despite the short notice

Residents from Istead Rise and Meopham took part in Sunday’s Kent Day of Action to protest against building in the Green Belt.
They met in the fields either side of Norwood Lane in Meopham, which are under threat of development, to send a clear message that they will do their best to defend the Green Belt in next year’s Local Plan consultation.
Alex Hills, CPRE Kent’s Gravesham chairman, said: “Having so many people turn up at short notice sent a clear message to the government and the local council that now is not the time for rhetoric – we want to see you are serious about protecting the Green Belt.
“Food-supply shortages have shown that we need the Green Belt, which is the county’s larder, more than ever.”
Many residents expressed concern that there is not the water or basic infrastructure to support the amount of development proposed for Gravesham.

  • For more on the Day of Action, see here

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

‘A powerful and memorable campaign’: CPRE wins award for response to planning proposals

Posted , filed under Campaigns
CPRE, the countryside charity, was part of a broad coalition of 18 organisations that worked together to produce an alternative ‘Vision for Planning’ in response to the government’s Planning White Paper

CPRE has broken new ground and won an award for its campaign responding to the government’s proposed reform of the country’s planning system.
Our first award for campaigning and policy work in living memory was announced on Wednesday, November 24, and represents a striking triumph for the combined national and local approach of CPRE.
The annual PRCA Public Affairs Awards recognise the finest organisations and individuals operating in public affairs.
Clarifying why CPRE beat other big names such as Transport for London in our category, the judges said: “This was a powerful and memorable campaign, which received solid support and strong messaging and ultimately exposed the failings of the Planning White Paper – and certainly did get the government to think again.”
As ever, the efforts of people at every level of CPRE have been highlighted. We can’t do it without our supporters – if you’re one of them, thank you!

  • For more on this campaign, see here

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Tragic waste of green fields as undeveloped brownfield hits new high, CPRE research reveals

Posted , filed under Campaigns
There’s plenty of brownfield – let’s start using it!

•          New figures show a continued increase in the amount of brownfield land suitable for housing across England

•          Despite the boom in brownfield, fresh analysis shows planning permission has stagnated, with long-term trends pointing to soaring use of greenfield sites

•          The proportion of brownfield housing units with planning permission is the lowest since records began – down to 44 per cent in 2021 from 53 per cent in 2020 – and the actual number, at 506,000, is the lowest for four years

Housing developers are gorging on precious greenfield land with ever greater appetite despite space being available for 1.3 million new homes in swathes of previously developed sites across the country.
The annual State of Brownfield report from CPRE, the countryside charity, shows an increase in land available for redevelopment but a smaller proportion being granted planning permission over the past 12 months. So, in short, greenfield development is on the rise while brownfield development is on the slide.
To halt the irreversible and unnecessary destruction of our countryside, CPRE is calling for new national planning policies to prioritise brownfield development in Local Plans as part of a package of fresh levelling-up investments in the Midlands and the North.
The analysis of 330 local-authority brownfield registers shows a glut of disused and derelict land available in areas that need the most support. The North West, Yorkshire and the Humber and the West Midlands have space for a total of more than 375,000 homes on previously-used land.
There is also plenty in London and the South East, where just over half a million homes could be built without touching green spaces.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, a vocal proponent of a ‘brownfield first’ planning policy, said: “The priority for housing has to be providing the homes that are much needed while protecting the Green Belt for future generations, and that’s exactly what we’re doing here in the West Midlands.
“The simple fact is there is no excuse to destroy the countryside while so much brownfield land is available for housing, which is why in our region we use the cash we’ve won from government to pay to clean up derelict industrial land.
“This is vital in the context of protecting our natural environment so it can help in the fight against climate change while levelling up our towns and cities so that they are thriving, attractive places to live and work – with nature on the doorstep to be explored and enjoyed.
“As well as championing a ‘brownfield first’ approach to housing, the West Midlands is also leading the way on affordability. Not only do we insist on a minimum of 20 per cent of new homes built being affordable when the Combined Authority’s cash is involved but we have also changed the definition of ‘affordable’ so it is linked to local pay rather than the housing market – helping to make the dream of home ownership far more realistic for many.
“I am sure the approach taken here in the West Midlands can be applied across the rest of the country, helping to keep the Green Belt safe whilst building more truly affordable homes.”
Focusing development primarily on suitable urban brownfield means that housing is near where people already work and live, with infrastructure such as public transport, schools and shops already in place.
A key advantage of this approach is a reduction in car use. CPRE is calling for a ‘brownfield first’ policy that ensures all new developments include affordable housing, including Help to Buy.
Emma Bridgewater, president of CPRE, the countryside charity, said: “A ‘brownfield first’ policy is sound good sense. We need to direct councils and developers to use these sites – often in town and city centres where housing need is most acute – before any greenfield land can be released.
“It is wasteful and immoral to abandon our former industrial heartlands where factories and outdated housing have fallen into disrepair. Developing brownfield is a win-win solution that holds back the tide of new buildings on pristine countryside and aids urban regeneration at a stroke.
“It is therefore heartening to hear that the government increasingly appears to share these views. Recent warm words on developing brownfield land first and enabling communities to push back on any plans to build in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Green Belt land are to be applauded. It is a welcome change of direction and we look forward to working with the government to help make this ambition a reality.”
New analysis shows the use of previously undeveloped greenfield land soared by 148 per cent between 2006 and 2017, the latest date for which figures are available. The proportion of brownfield land being used for residential development dropped by 38 per cent in the same period.

For more on the use of brownfield land, click here

Friday, November 26, 2021

Swanscombe: will Natural England confirm SSSI status?

Posted , filed under Campaigns
Campaigners made their message clear during October’s rally

Today (Wednesday, November 10) Natural England decides on the SSSI designation for Swanscombe peninsula, the biodiverse haven in north Kent under threat from the London Resort theme park.
CPRE Kent believes the UK must demonstrate the right approach at home as we host COP26.
This is our chance to protect and restore habitats, creating wildlife-rich, climate-resilient landscapes that lock up carbon, paving the way for nature’s recovery.
Here’s hoping that NE does the right thing and upholds the SSSI notification, helping Buglife, the RSPB, Kent Wildlife Trust, Save Swanscombe Peninsula SSSI, CPRE Kent and so many others who love this precious site to Save Swanscombe…

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

  • For more on the SSSI designation, click here

Swanscombe rally proves a win-win on a special day in a special place

Posted , filed under Campaigns

The event attracted more than a hundred campaigners – many were local but one man had travelled from Bristol to show his support

More than 100 people joined yesterday’s (Saturday, October 2) rally calling for the protection of the wildlife-rich Swanscombe peninsula.
The event went better than anyone could have hoped for, especially given a grim weather forecast, although happily the storm didn’t really get going until later in the day.
The walk around this fantastic site was interspersed with short talks, while there was a strong local-media presence.
The cooperation between conservation groups – notably Buglife, Save Swanscombe Peninsula SSSI, Kent Wildlife Trust, the RSPB and CPRE Kent – was particularly impressive and augurs well for the campaign ahead.

  • To learn more about the Swanscombe peninsula, click here

Sunday, October 3, 2021

Boosting hedgerows by 40 per cent would create 25,000 jobs, CPRE research reveals

Posted , filed under Campaigns
The hedgerow network is our largest, most connected, ‘nature reserve’ (pic Julie Davies)
  • For every £1 invested in hedgerows, as much as £3.92 is generated for the wider economy, new research from CPRE, the countryside charity, has revealed
  • CPRE is calling on the government to stop dragging its feet and set a target to increase the hedgerow network by 40 per cent by 2050, which would be a win-win-win for climate, nature and the economy

Hedgerows could become champions of climate action and nature recovery while contributing tens of thousands of jobs to hard-hit communities, new analysis from CPRE, the countryside charity, has revealed.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommends that the extent of our hedgerow network should be increased by 40 per cent to support the UK government’s goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
If the right hedgerows are planted in the right place, for every £1 invested in hedgerow planting, as much as £3.92 is generated in the wider economy.
Crispin Truman, chief executive of CPRE, said: “It is almost impossible to define the enormous value of our hedgerow network – just as our arteries and veins supply our bodies with nutrients and oxygen, the UK’s hedgerow network defines many of our rural landscapes and must remain healthy to benefit  villages, towns and cities. Our research shows that investing in our hedgerows is a win-win for climate and people in both the countryside and urban areas.
“But we know the government has the biggest part to play in unleashing the full potential of hedgerows. That’s why we’re calling on ministers to set a target to increase the hedgerow network by 40 per cent by 2050 with improved protection for existing hedgerows.
In its expanse, the hedgerow network is our largest, most connected, ‘nature reserve’. Healthy hedgerows are teeming with life and vital for nature. One in nine of all vulnerable species in the UK are associated with hedgerows. These include the hazel dormouse; the hedgehog, whose decline has been closely associated with hedgerow loss; and the brown hairstreak butterfly, which lays its eggs on blackthorn and is particularly common in hedgerows.
Lord Deben, chair of the Climate Change Committee, said: “What was a determination to make land more productive in order to feed our people during and after the war has led to indiscriminate destruction of our hedgerows. Spurred on by Deficiency Payments and the Common Agricultural Policy, our yields rose and our wildlife diminished.
“Reintroduction and proper maintenance of hedgerows transforms the all too sterile prairie land into the countryside, which for long we have loved. But, as this report shows, this is not about romance – the hard facts are that hedges contribute to profit as well as to well-being.”
There is a parliamentary launch of our hedgerows campaign this afternoon, hosted by MP Selaine Saxby.

Monday, September 6, 2021

Our open letter to government: heroic hedgerows and climate change

Posted , filed under Campaigns
Hedgerows: the unsung heroes of our countryside (pic Julie Davies)

CPRE, the countryside charity, has joined with other major charities to call for urgent action to extend the country’s hedgerows by 40% by 2050 to protect nature and help tackle the climate crisis.
Our humble hedgerows are the unsung heroes of the countryside. They have been adding beauty and character to our landscapes for centuries while providing the food and shelter that sustains our wildlife. They protect the soil, clean the air and absorb carbon emissions.
But we have lost about half since 1945. Now, as we face up to the climate emergency, we urgently need to start reversing that decline – and allow our hedgerows to play their most important role yet.
That is why we have launched our #40by50 campaign, calling on ministers to commit to extending the hedgerow network by 40% by 2050, as recommended by the independent Climate Change Committee, and have written to the government to this effect, as published in The Times last month.
Our open letter calling on the government to do more to extend hedgerows reads as follows:

Hedgerows: the climate and nature heroes

Tree planting and peatland restoration are important parts of the government’s plan to tackle the climate and nature emergencies. Yet there is still one powerful solution missing from its strategy: the humble hedgerow.
Hedgerows are the unsung heroes of our countryside. They are icons of our landscape, steeped in history, providing a haven for wildlife while absorbing carbon emissions. The hedgerow network, in its expanse, is our largest ‘nature reserve’. Shockingly, it is estimated that more than half our hedgerows have been lost since WW2, and many existing hedgerows are in a poor, degraded state.
The Climate Change Committee recommends extending the hedgerow network by 40% by 2050 to help achieve net-zero. Ahead of COP26, now is the time for Ministers to show real leadership by committing to this target, while restoring our existing hedgerow network, to deliver a more resilient, beautiful and biodiverse countryside.
Yours,
Crispin Truman, chief executive of CPRE, the countryside charity
Dawn Varley, chief executive, Badger Trust
Kit Stoner, chief executive, Bat Conservation Trust
Anita Konrad, chief executive, Campaign for National Parks
Mark Bridgeman, president, Country Land and Business Association
Lizzie Glithero-West, chief executive, Heritage Alliance
John Sauven, executive director, Greenpeace
Shaun Spiers, executive director, Green Alliance
Hilary McGrady, director-general, National Trust
Jill Nelson, chief executive, People’s Trust for Endangered Species
Emma Marsh, director, RSPB England
Sara Lom, chief executive, The Tree Council
Craig Bennett, chief executive, The Wildlife Trusts
Richard Benwell, chief executive, Wildlife & Countryside Link
Dr Darren Moorcroft, chief executive, Woodland Trust

Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Please tell Natural England you want the Swanscombe peninsula protected

Posted , filed under Campaigns
The Swanscombe peninsula is home to an extraordinary array of plants and animals (pic Buglife)

The deadline for supporting the designation of the Swanscombe peninsula as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is Monday, July 12, 2021. Can you spare 10 minutes to tell Natural England you agree that this nationally important wildlife site should be protected?
The importance of the Swanscombe peninsula for nature was recognised by Natural England in March, when it notified this wildlife haven in north Kent as an SSSI. This means it is an area of particularly high interest for its wildlife and significance for our natural heritage. Although this legal protection took effect immediately, there is currently a consultation on this designation.
Will you help us make sure that one of the country’s most threatened wildlife sites receives the protection that it deserves by taking part in the online consultation and letting Natural England know that you want its SSSI designation to stay?
The consultation portal is currently live here, where you can find all of the information on the proposed SSSI, including the detailed analysis of its precious flora and fauna, together with a map of the proposed SSSI.
You can respond to the consultation online following the guidance below, but if you would rather, you can simply compose your own email, outlining your support for the SSSI designation and sending it to thamesestuary@naturalengland.org.uk. You can find guidance on what to say in our answer to question B6 below.
When you are ready to take part in the online consultation, make sure that you have five or 10 minutes free, then click on ‘Click here to submit an online response’ near the bottom of the page.
The first page asks you to say who you are and asks if you have any legal interests in the land or own any land in the SSSI. It is important that, even if you have been made aware of the consultation by any of Buglife, CPRE Kent, Kent Wildlife Trust or RSPB, you make it clear you are answering on behalf of yourself and not for an organisation in question A4.
The second page is for ‘Your views on the Swanscombe Peninsula SSSI notification’. Most of these questions simply require you to select ‘Yes’, as the text boxes are reserved for explaining any objections. However, the following should help guide you through this section easily:

B1. Do you accept the scientific rationale behind the notification of this site for its special interest?
Please select ‘Yes’ and move on to the next question, leaving the text box blank

B2. Do you agree that the boundary of the SSSI appropriately encompasses the features of special interest?
Please select ‘Yes’ and move on to the next question, leaving the text box blank

B3. Do you agree with the views about management?
Please select ‘Yes’ and move on to the next question, leaving the text box blank

B4. Do you agree that the operations requiring Natural England’s consent are appropriate?
Please select ‘Yes’ and move on to the next question, leaving the text box blank

B5. Do you have any additional evidence or further comments that you wish to submit in relation to the SSSI?
If you don’t have any additional information or thoughts that would further support the SSSI notification, please select ‘No’ and move on to the next question, leaving the text box blank.
However, if you have any additional evidence such as your own survey data or observations of wildlife using Swanscombe peninsula, then select ‘Yes’ and either explain your evidence in the text box or choose to upload a file by selecting ‘Choose file’.

B6. Do you wish to submit a representation to the notification of Swanscombe Peninsula SSSI?
Please select ‘Yes, I support the notification’.
This is your opportunity to say clearly why you believe that the Swanscombe peninsula should be notified as an SSSI in your own words. Some ideas of what you can write are included below, but take any opportunity to personalise your response with your own views on the site and your own experiences of Swanscombe if you live locally.
Explain why you think that the notification is justified based on the important wildlife and habitats that the Swanscombe peninsula supports. This could include highlighting:
• The supporting information compiled by Natural England provides a detailed picture of the rich wildlife on the Swanscombe peninsula.
• The Swanscombe peninsula clearly meets the criteria for qualifying as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
• Swanscombe supports a unique complex of open mosaic habitat on previously developed land and estuarine habitats, including grasslands, scrub, wetlands, grazing marsh and saltmarsh.
• The nationally important assemblage of rare and threatened invertebrates, rich breeding bird assemblages and populations of nationally scarce vascular plants make it essential that the site is protected as an SSSI.
• Swanscombe peninsula is also a vital greenspace for the local community, a place where they can escape and reconnect with nature.
• Highlight your concerns that wildlife across the country is in catastrophic decline and that it is more important than ever to make sure that places like Swanscombe peninsula are protected for future generations and for perpetuity.

The third page is then simply answering if you are happy with the online consultation process – your chance to give feedback on the consultation itself.
The fourth page will then ask you to click ‘Submit Response’, which will then give Natural England permission to include and analyse your submission. You will then be emailed a copy of your final submission.
Thank you for your continued support for our efforts to Save Swanscombe. If you haven’t already done so, please sign and share our petition, which has already been signed by more than 24,300 people.

  • For more on the threat to the Swanscombe peninsula, click here

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Campaigns… and how (hopefully) to win them

Posted , filed under Campaigns
Placards were placed in prime locations and in residents’ properties

It is all too familiar a scenario: a local authority proposing to build thousands of houses in areas wholly unsuitable for such levels of development. When one council in north Kent targeted sites in the Green Belt, an impressive operation to challenge the potential environmental destruction was launched. Here, Alex Hills, chairman of CPRE Kent’s Gravesham committee, gathers some of the leading players to explain how they rallied residents to the cause.   

At the end of last year without warning, and with rising numbers of Covid-19 cases making people worry whether they were going to have a Christmas or a job, Gravesham Borough Council began a Regulation 18 Stage 2 consultation.
The proposal was for 3,790 houses within the Green Belt envelope over 21 sites, all being highly damaging to the rural area.
The consultation was a perfect example of how not to run a such a process during pandemic restrictions and in the run-up to Christmas.
GBC appeared to put every possible barrier in the way of people responding – the irony of it complaining about the way Highways England carried out the Lower Thames Crossing consultation was not lost on residents.
As chairman of the CPRE Kent’s Gravesham committee, I am blessed to have an experienced hard-working committee who make me look good – they of course rose to this massive challenge.
At the start of the campaign, we held a large Zoom meeting. The campaign slogan Stop the Green Belt Grab was created by local resident Peers MS Carter. Peers was a creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi, so we really have drawn on excellence from the talent in our borough.
If you can inspire people to act, it is amazing the talents you find and we were lucky to find many such people during the campaign.
I will let the committee members say in their own words what they did during the consultation process…

Pat Luxford: We were able to bring together all our contacts and residents’ groups from previous campaigns. This enabled CPRE Kent to ensure the campaigners worked together with one message. It could so easily have become various groups saying ‘Not in my backyard’ as the proposed sites were spread over various Green Belt areas of Gravesham.
Despite our inability to sit around a table to make decisions or to hold public meetings, the residents’ response was extraordinary. By pulling together a group of dedicated volunteers whom we called foot soldiers, we were able to get door to door with updated information and easy-to-follow draft objection letters to GBC, making us so much more effective. By reaching out and working with like-minded groups and individuals, we were able to beat lockdown.

James Ferrin: My input into the campaign was dealing with social media. We used two main avenues, organic posting and sharing, and then paid for advertising.
We used the CPRE Kent page as the main vehicle for this. We wrote the posts and then David Mairs posted them.
The organic side was simple. Once the posts were up, we shared them across all the community groups in the area. There are some 30 or so that cover Gravesham. Comments were monitored and those asking for more information were helped.
The paid-for element helped us reach those harder-to-reach people who were not members of groups. We set the targeting of location, interests and age and then put £50 behind the activity and set it live.
We did a couple of posts, the first giving general information and the second providing wording for a standard letter that GBC had agreed would count.
The results from the paid activity were a total reach of 18,315 people and a total of 3,029 engagements that equated to £0.016 per engagement. Pretty good-going!

Noel Clark: The committee decided we needed a website to quickly post reactions to the changing consultation as GBC changed the consultation documentation during the process. We used a website as the central repository of information to avoid having to walk revised notes around to our supporters.
We used justgiving.com for fundraising as our costs were relatively small and several locals had expressed interest in contributing. Over the course of the campaign, we raised £570, which was used largely on printing and banners. We found the need to be local and reflect issues that affected us directly was important, but ultimately the outcome will be determined by national policy.

Jackie Luckhurst and Sue Gofton: During the first phase, thousands of leaflets informing communities of the threat to the Green Belt were delivered. The second phase entailed the delivery of printed objection letters; these had to be distributed in the shortest time possible to meet the GBC deadline of December 31, 2020.
This was coupled with banners and placards placed in prime locations and attached to householders’ properties. The volunteers had been sourced through social media and community associations and support groups. Time was of the essence as we were in lockdown and the deadline was looming. The postal service was under pressure as it was the Christmas period and Covid-19 had taken its toll, so help was given by shops that were happy to have sealed drop-boxes where people could post their objection letters for free with their personal data secured. This worked incredibly well.
Frequent updates were given on social media until the deadline was met and the letters from the drop-boxes were hand-delivered before the deadline. In terms of the Covid-19 difficulties and the deadline, it was deemed a success, based on communities pulling together and forging great camaraderie.  

And back to Alex Hills for the final word… The Gravesham committee is an equal partnership (as chairman I do not have a casting vote) of six very different individuals with different skills, but we all respect and trust each other, which means we can debate openly. This was a vital asset as we had to set up a campaign structure from scratch, working with the hard-working Higham, Shorne and Cobham parish councils.
We also had to respond quickly as the campaign developed, so weekly Zoom meetings were important.
Covid-19 prevented us from such options as public meetings, while media disinterest meant that leaflets, the website (www.cpregravesham.org) and social media were our main tools in the campaign. Seeing local groups as an asset and working with them was another key part.
My role was very much that of coordinator and making sure everyone was kept informed about what was happening – this included local councillors. The fact we were able to keep the campaign non-political and have so many saying very clearly to GBC that the Green Belt is not for building on is a great compliment to the committee.

Monday, June 21, 2021