Standing up for local wildlife
IT IS with great concern that I find myself writing this letter. The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s cabinet have approved a report seeking approval to offer areas of open-space land to third-party partner organisations to develop new activities and facilities. (See cabinet report, April 16, 2018, “Development of tourism and commercial opportunities at countryside service sites.”)
Included in this proposal are plans for development at both Porthkerry and Cosmeston country parks. I believe that this could lead to more parkland being needed for parking, roads, paths and buildings and an inevitable increase in visitors, sewage and litter, in what are very sensitive ecological areas. In addition, the idea of leasing these areas to private companies could lead to local residents being excluded from sections of the parks, which is worrying.
As a Barry resident, I am particularly concerned about the proposal to lease parts of Porthkerry Country Park for camping and an outdoor tourism activity such as a high ropes facility. Porthkerry supports many vulnerable wildlife species such as adders, bats, bullfinches and a number of rare tree and plant species. I was extremely surprised to see that the “Sustainability and Climate Change Implications” section of the report made no reference to the damage such a tourism venture would inevitably do to the biodiversity of this beautiful park.
Even more concerning is the fact that the Vale of Glamorgan Council has completely ignored the findings of the groundbreaking “State of Nature” report. This report clearly stated that the UK has lost 40% of its wildlife since the 1950s and that everyone has a duty, including all levels of government, to do their utmost to help protect the UK’s remaining wildlife. Instead of looking for development opportunities, the council should be looking at extending these parks and helping to protect their biodiversity.
I shall watch with interest how these proposals develop and do my utmost to try to protect our local wildlife and scenic settings. Rob Curtis Barry