The proposal to create a large ‘garden village’ between Winchester and Hursley raises concerns for the Wildlife Trust about the potential impacts on the local environment.
The Wildlife Trust are conscious that the planned development is adjacent to a fantastic nature reserve at Yew Hill, managed by Butterfly Conservation. The site supports dozens of important butterfly species and also welcomes other threatened wildlife, such as skylarks, which are often seen over the nature reserve and nearby fields.
Beyond the impacts on this protected wildlife haven, such a large-scale development would inevitably put more pressure on the wider environment through increased traffic and pollution, with knock on impacts for air and water quality, which in turn can harm our local wildlife. Whilst the proposals include a commitment to delivering 20 percent biodiversity net gain, this is the minimum the Trust would expect in any development.
The Royaldown document also states that the Wildlife Trust will be working with the developers and would manage the proposed country park and other wildlife areas. This is not accurate. Whilst our ecology consultancy, Arcadian Consulting Ltd, carried out an ecological survey of the area on behalf of the development company in 2018, we have had no further contact and have not had any discussions regarding our involvement with the scheme. We have contacted the development company and requested that this is corrected.
At such a critical point in time, as we face a nature and climate emergency, we have to demand the very highest standards from development and must ensure that planning decisions actively contribute to, rather than undermine, nature’s recovery.