The Campaign for National Parks speaks out against the Hellifield Flashes
The Campaign for National Parks have today objected to the current application on the Hellifield Flashes
see the attachment.
We are not alone in our objection and campaign to protect the Hellifield Flashes.
Housing numbers controversy ....again.....
The comments in the York Press below are interesting showing a wide range of opinion; The article states that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revised down a previous projection for future household growth in York from 884 per annum to just 442
.https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/16957338.fresh-row-over-housing-numbers-in-york-local-plan/
Now of course if we adopted a smart approach to housing as called for by CPRE across the country things might not be so bad! CPRE suggests that the 'predict and provide' approach that uses population and household projections as a basis for determining future need is not the best way to solve the housing crisi! These projections are always an important PART of the evidence for planning housing but they only extrapolate past trends and therefore should be treat with caution.
We suggest a plan monitor and manage approach - referred to as SMART planning!
A crude application of predict and provide is likely to increase pressure for higher levels of land allocation and potentially (all too frequently) greenfield development. Because of the discrepancies between theoretical predictions of aspirational demand and the availability to convert this into effective demand, this can frequently lead to an over supply of land allocation for housing. Again, ALL TOO FREQUENTLY is can mean that there will often be market pressure on sites less suitable in planning terms to be developmed before more sustainable ones.
And always remember, you can grant all the planning permission you like but you cannot make developers build. We cannot be confident that an application granted to provide a reasonable quota of the much needed affordable homes will actually be built but we can guarantee wth almost 100% accuracy that most of the applications granted where an affordable quota that is 'worth something' is promisd, we'll see the developer come back arguing they can't afford to buid out the affordable quota and replacing these needed homes with yet more "exekkertiv" homes built on new estates with roads named The Oaks, The Hollies the Hawthorns etc ........in memorium to the trees and hedgerows they bulldozed to make these large homes.
MiQ's Craven District Local Plan ...done
After two long weeks of very hard work, CPRENorthYorkshire have submitted their answers to the MiQ's for Craven District Councils Local Plan Examination. Now onto the next one...and the next.... and the next....!
Hellifield Flash Kill Zone
Gallaber Flash to become a wildlife ‘Kill zone”
In military tactics, the kill zone, also known as killing zone, is an area entirely covered by direct and effective fire, an element of ambush within which an approaching enemy force is trapped and destroyed. The objective of the ambush force is to quickly kill or capture all enemy soldiers inside the kill zone.
The latest plans* submitted to Craven District Council regarding the Hellifield Holiday Camp application seem to suggest that the main “flash” or vernal pond is to be screened by the creation of an unnatural, alien earth bund which will be planted with trees. This will, in our opinion, create the perfect wildlife ‘kill zone’. This is just more interference with the natural habitat that the wildlife depends upon which will further endanger wildlife and drastically alter the identity of this area. Sky news reported today that we are ‘walking into an environmental apocalypse’ in the UK.https://news.sky.com/…/conservationists-warn-uk-faces-ecolo…
The Hellifield Flashes are home to thousands of migratory birds, many of which are on the RSPB’s own red and amber list. 44 million birds have disappeared from the British countryside in 40 years. Surrounding such an important site with enormous man made earth bunds planted with trees will create perfect cover for predators. They’ll find it so much easier to prey on the visiting birds and then retreat back to the earth bunds and tree cover to lay up and wait for for the next meal! How will the excavators rumbling across the Flashes to create the earth bunds and build holiday camp affect the wildlife?
The proposal is wrong on so many levels: from impact on conservation areas and heritage assets; impact on the character and appearance of the local countryside; impact on the setting of a National Park and now it just got worse increasing the adverse and detrimental impact on wildlife!
Two hundred acres of green agricultural fields, sitting next to and in full view of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, partially with two conservation areas and next to the iconic Hellifield Railway Station Grade 2 listed building are under threat from a monster development including two cinemas, park and ride, hotel and ‘lodge homes’.
Are we really going to permit a development that effectively serves up the wildlife on a plate, with a knife and fork to predators animal and human!
It’s now two years since the application was ‘validated’ and yet it’s still awaiting determination by the officers of CDC. Validated means that the planning office have accepted the application. Determination means they decide whether to recommend refusal or approval to the planning committee.
In 2016 developers themselves stated they would remove trees provided cover for predators, in 2018 they propose putting more back and building a man made hill as well.
It’s also some 25 years since the site was first targeted by developers who, in the very humble opinion this charity, are as predatory as the animals set to tear the birds on the flashes apart and leave their discarded carcasses strewn across what once was an open, gently undulating rural landscape.
2019 is supposedly the Government’s year of Green Action. In a 25 year Environment Plan it has committed to creating or restoring half a million hectares of wildlife rich habitat - that’s around 12 million acres. So we have over 200 acres of prime wildlife habitat in Hellifield, home to thousands of birds and colonies of the Great Crested Newt
which seems like a good place to start.
We face a mass extinction of wildlife in our own backyards due to a lack of regard for the environment. Sky news report that the UK is one of the worst countries in the world for protecting nature.
*(planning application 42/2016/17496 at Land to West of Hellifield)
**from the JBA Ecological Appraisal 2016. Page 17
Bats Potential damage/ disturbance of bat roosts.
Potential negative effect at local scale.
All of the mature trees on the site (except those adjacent to Flash 1 which are to be removed to enhance the value for wading birds) should be retained, as they provide roosting opportunities for bats. If the tree identified as containing a Soprano Pipistrelle bat roost has to be removed as part of the development it is recommended that further surveys are undertaken to determine whether the tree is still being used as a roost. A mitigation licence will be required from Natural England
No significant effect on the population or conservation status of bats at the local scale.
CPRENorthYorkshire team working flat out across the county
MiQ's for the Craven District local plan, fracking, planning applications across the county and the rest of the local planning business for all the districts means that the team in our charity are all working to capacity and they are doing it well!
Wetherby development - Leeds City Council objects
Harrogate Council recommends approval, Leeds City Council objects strongly to a proposal at Harrogate Road, Stockheld near Wetherby!
