Green flaws in Local Plan

Sustainable growth can enhance the quality of natural habitats and populations of wild species, and provide green spaces that local people enjoy.

The Wildlife Trust BCN supportsPeterborough’s aspiration to be the ‘Environment Capital’ of the UK.

However, this aspiration is undermined by the council’s unfortunate choice of new locations for major development and their failure to provide sufficientsafeguards and environmental sustainability in the draft Peterborough Local Plan.

The council’s own assessments of the suitability and sustainability of their chosen locations that areincluded for new development are fundamentally flawed, have been inconsistently applied, and sohavedownplayedormissed majornegative impacts onthe natural environment.

In particular, the Wildlife Trust objects to the major housing allocation at Castor/ Ailsworth where new homes could be built within 100m of Castor Hanglands NNR, causing serious negative impacton this nationally important site. Wearealsoopposingthehousing allocation at Norwood.

The John Clare Country Living Landscape west of Peterborough is one of the most important places around Peterborough where there are real opportunities for creating a more coherent network of habitats.

CastorHanglandsNational NatureReserve, BarnackHills & Holes National Nature Reserve and Dogsthorpe Star Pit nature reserve - to name just three - are already being adversely impactedbyrecreational pressure from visitors, and the proposed developments would increase this pressure. However, this need not be the case. The Wildlife Trust believes that newdevelopmentaroundPeterborough hasthepotential to create areas of high quality green spaces and habitats in the right locations, enhancing the local environment andimprovingthe lives of local people.

If the proposed Norwood development included a commitment to create a sufficient area of high quality green space and wildlife habitats, the Trust believes the development could be acceptable and avoid negative impacts on nearby Dogsthorpe Star Pit nature reserve.

This development could also provide new green space in a part of the city which is deficient in such high-quality sites, and so contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of new and existing residents alike. Providing attractive andstimulatinggreen spaces which people want to visit and enjoy, where wild- life thrives, and which reduce the excess recreational pressures suffered at manynature reserves is essential if Peterborough is to truly become the ‘Environment Capital’ of the UK. Jo Dickson Wildlife Trust for Cambridgeshire

These are just a handful of ideas and I know that Peterborough Telegraph readers will have many more.

Maggie and Noel did not originally come from Peterborough, but they adopted it and made it their home.

They are as much a part of its modern heritage as Katherine of Aragon’s tomb is emblematicofits past andshould becommemoratedintheform of a lasting memorial.

Helen Clark (Peterborough MP

1997 – 2005) by sea in Greece and Italy but the Government has announced they will transfer a total of just 350 vulnerable children from Europe under the Dubs scheme before it comes to an end.

Wearetoldthatthescheme is ending because local councils cannottakeanymorechildren.

By the time it comes to an end, councils with responsibility for children in the UK will have taken an average of less than two Dubs children each.

Toclaim that this is all that can be managedis an insult to our councils.

On 23 February there will be a major debate in Parliament on this issue and it’s up to every MPtomakeclearthat thegovernmentmustdomore for refugeechildren in Europe and that our communities stand ready to help.

I’d urge your readers to write to their MP, asking them to attend the debate and ensure the Government does more to protect vulnerable refugee and migrant children in Europe. Sol Oyuela Director Unicef UK