Water Vole habitat threatened by Boston developer

 Allison Homes seek to build on site with endangered species

Habitat destruction is an ongoing problem. In response to our recent campaign, Naturewatch supporters Julian and Sandy Cummins told us about water vole habitat close to their home in South Boston, Lincolnshire, which is being threatened by developers Allison Homes.

The site is on the edge of the town, to the south of the South Forty Foot Drain, where the developers want to build 66 homes on an old caravan site. The key habitat is a separate 3m-wide culvert running along the NE side of the site, where the water voles are readily visible from the opposite bank.

Despite the fact that local residents know of the water voles, the first ecological survey commissioned by the developer failed to find any. A local expert alerted us to the fact that some ecological consultants may offer one price for a normal survey, but a higher price if the developer does not want anything to be found: while we are not aware of any evidence suggesting that this has taken place here, there were suspicions that this might have happened here. Since then a second ecological survey has been performed, which for some reason has failed to come to light in the subsequent four weeks.

Tensions have been heightened because the developer seems reluctant to comply with instructions, in particular those of the Boston Borough Council's Planning Committee. Their instructions state that:

Prior to site clearance and/or commencement of development, the site shall be re-surveyed for the presence of water vole and grass snakes the finding of which, together with a scheme of mitigation shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall proceed in accordance with the approved scheme of mitigation...

...no ground within 3m of the top of the bank of the wet ditch shall be disturbed prior to the location being checked for the presence of the water vole.

Despite these conditions, an old caravan located almost at the edge of the bank has recently been cleared, in clear contravention of both paragraphs above.

Ironically, demolition of another caravan elsewhere on the site seems to have disturbed a small colony of bats, which have recently been observed: if verified, this in itself would be sufficient to delay further development.

Tensions between the developer and the residents were evident in conversation with the site manager, Mr. Brian Crowson. It must be stated that Mr. Crowson was both courteous and considerate throughout, showing Naturewatch's Richard Tweedy around the site when he visited on June 9. It was however clear that he was under considerable pressure from Allison Homes to comply with his employers despite his own sympathies in the matter. He showed a number of photographs of Mrs. Cummins that had been taken - they were clearly indulging in the vain hope of catching her doing something illegal!
 

Since then the local police wildlife officer Nigel Lound has visited the site, and Allison Homes appear to be showing some willingness to adapt. The unseen second survey apparently acknowledges the presence of the water voles, and the developer is considering a plan for mitigation that would involve building a pond for them to replace the culvert, which will be filled in while the poplars — a prominent feature of the bank (second picture down) — are cut down.

As neither we nor local residents have seen this plans we cannot make detailed comments on its suitability. If the pond is sufficiently well designed and constructed, it could enhance the environment for the water voles, which would be welcomed. However, sloppy design and execution may result in a pond which merely complies with the letter of the regulations, while in reality taking years of growth before it is suitable as water vole habitat. Furthermore, the culvert acts as a natural drain for the area, and it is not clear that the pond would be an adequate replacement; otherwise if the ground is permanently wet, it may threaten the stability of homes on both sides of the culvert - which would ultimately cost Allison Homes far more than the loss of a small proportion of the homes on their new development.

While we would welcome and commend Allison Homes if they do provide an enhanced environment for the water voles, this situation illustrates the problems that exist with the current working of the planning regulations with regard to conserving endangered wildlife. It is only because of the alertness and persistence of the Cummins that the water voles have any chance of being protected - without them, the failure of the first ecological survey means that their habitat would have been destroyed.

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