LAND BY 1-3 CORBETT CLOSE, FAIRCHILDES AVENUE, NEW ADDINGTON
London Wildlife Trust (the Trust) has submitted comments on the proposal for a new 11-flat block through the formal planning process via Croydon Council’s planning portal.
In our view:
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There is unlikely to be any direct impact from the building onto Hutchinson's Bank nature reserve, which is managed by the Trust and about 70metres distant from the proposal site;
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The reserve is identified as a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation for a range of species and habitats, but these are unlikely to be affected by the proposal; light spillage from the building will not significantly add to the existing lighting in the immediate environs, and will be screened from the reserve by existing trees;
However:
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There is loss of (common) habitat on site that may support brown hairstreak butterfly (which can be found at Hutchinson’s Bank), a Species of Principal Importance which was not surveyed for as part of the ecology report accompanying the application;
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Consequently there is no indication of how loss of this on-site habitat would be mitigated or compensated for to ensure no net loss of breeding habitat for this butterfly;
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The landscaping enhancement for the proposal does not take enough account of the local ecological character or provide details on the site’s future management;
The Trust has pointed out these matters in our response and that with some input from us the proposal could be better designed to minimise its impacts as well as create new butterfly habitat if Croydon Council were so minded. Butterfly Conservation, part of the Brilliant Butterflies partnership, also support the comments made by the Trust about the proposed development.
Updated on 9th July 2020:
London Wildlife Trust were contacted by the developer's agent on 12th May to inform us that they had read our response to their application and were putting in place further surveys. Following this we have been in communication with Brick by Brick.
Additional surveys are taking place and assessments are due later in the summer, which the Trust will be consulted on. We are now satisfied with how Brick by Brick have approached matters since our response. However, we reserve judgement on the development proposals at Fairchildes Avenue until the results and revision are submitted in due course.
Further information on Croydon Council's plans can be found online here:
Hutchinson’s Bank
Hutchinson’s Bank has been managed by London Wildlife Trust since 1984 on behalf of Croydon Council. A Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation and within the Metropolitan Green Belt it is also designated as part of a statutory Local Nature Reserve. A pedestrian access to the reserve passes through the proposal site.
Brilliant Butterflies
A project led by London Wildlife Trust to help restore nationally rare chalk grassland habitat and work with local communities and landowners in the creation of new habitat to benefit butterflies and other pollenating insects. See: www.wildlondon.org.uk/brilliant-butterflies