Beddington Farmlands is part of the London Plan (Policy 7.17) and the Core Planning Strategy PMP9 to be developed into a nature reserve and core area for the Wandle Valley Regional Park for Greater London. For more on the plans click here: The future of Beddington Farmlands
In light of the recent decision by the GLA and London Borough of Sutton to allow Viridor to build an incinerator on site here are a few statistics on the progress of the Conservation Management Scheme which is in place to implement the regional park and nature reserve policies.
Tree Sparrow Population
Crashed from 1000 in 2007 to 60 this year
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Conservation Management Scheme Breeding Target Species
Little Ringed Plover- 0 pairs in 2013
Ringed Plover- 0 pairs in 2013
Redshank- 0 pairs in 2013 (extinct as a breeding bird since 2005)
Common Tern - 0 pairs in 2013
Yellow Wagtail- 0 pairs in 2013 (extinct as a breeding bird since 1995)
Lapwing- Down from 22 pairs in 2005 to 12 pairs in 2013
Sedge Warbler- Down from 25 pairs in 2000 to 2 pairs in 2013
Reed Bunting- Down from 23 pairs in 1995 to 1-2 pairs in 2013
Whitethroat and Reed Warbler- Relatively stable
Conservation Management Scheme Wintering Target Species
Teal- Down from 830 in 1995/1996 to 350 in 2012/2013
Shoveler- Down from 150 in 1995/96 to 100 in 2012/2013
Lapwing- Down from 165 in 1995/96 to 35 in 2012/2013
Snipe- Down from 35 in 1995/1996 to 20 in 2012/2013
Water Pipit- Down from 10 in 2000/2001 to 3 in 2010/2011
Green Sandpiper- stable
Conservation Management Scheme Restoration Progress
Acid Grassland- Originally due for development from 2003 onwards. No progress to date.
Wet Grassland- Due for completion in 2011. Minimal progress to date.
Neutral Grassland- Due for completion in 2008. Some progress.
Southern and Northern Lakes- Completed but not to specification with in-correct water height and no on-going maintenance
Public Access- Originally the nature reserve and regional park was to be completed and open to the public in 2015.
Migrants
Following species also in decline on site since the current conservation management plan has been in place: Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Greenshank, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Whinchat and House Martin
Scroll down for more on the Incinerator and state of Nature at Beddington Farmlands.
More from Inside Croydon:
Another victory for local people! (cf. big society, localism bill, Neighbourhood Development Order). Good job the site is worthless for nature conservation, otherwise I'd be alarmed! (cf. London Plan, LBS PMP9, Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation, Metropolitan Open Land etc. etc.)
ReplyDeleteThe cynic in me wonders if the strenuous inaction by Viridor to uphold their legally binding planning conditions as part of the CMG was them playing the long game to end up here?!
Really worrying figures on the bird numbers; we'll soon be left with nothing but another amenity grassland for dogs to shite on. YAY! :(
Yep- Beddington Farmlands is disappearing into a black hole unless something can be done. Indeed what is the point of legally binding planning conditions and conservation management plans on heavily protected conservation land when those conditions are blatantly breached and the ecosystem goes into meltdown. This is Anarchy in Sutton. Local democracy has collapsed.
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