Fears wildlife will be lost to new housing

WILDLIFE at the former Derbyshire home of a famed Second World War codebreaker could be lost forever when a new housing estate is built, residents claim.

In May, after years of debate and two different developers, plans were approved to build 38 houses on land off Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre – the former home of Rolf Noskwith.

Residents around the site say the land is a wildlife haven, something that Mr Noskwith is said to have been extremely proud of and committed to maintaining.

One of Alan Turing’s team of famed codebreakers, Mr Noskwith died in 2017, aged 97, after which the site was advertised for development by his son, Adrian, who is listed as the applicant for the approved plans.

In May, the scheme for 38 houses was approved, with none of the homes being classed as affordable, due to the financial viability of the project. The site is advertised for sale with planning permission.

Anne Butler, aged 65, a former pharmacist who has lived next to the site for 30 years, said: “As more and more land in the area is being built on, all the wildlife is getting concentrated into a smaller and smaller area. If this land is built, the wildlife won’t just ‘go somewhere else’. They will die.

“What they have already done on the site is absolutely disgraceful, felling trees in Easter (2019) when the birds were nesting.

“They have said we are not the experts and that there is no deer living on the land. Well, she must be a figment of my imagination, she walks through our garden each morning at 5am.

“Rolf (Noskwith) loved his wildlife and he would be horrified about what is happening here now.”

The council report says: “The principle of residential development in this sustainable location is consistent with national and local planning policy. The proposal would make more efficient use of the land than the current two houses and would contribute to the borough’s housing supply.

“Though there will be impact on the protected woodland, these impacts are considered to be acceptable.

“The impact on ecology and biodiversity, including on protected species, is considered acceptable subject to conditions.”