Representation by Beryll Withers
- Date submitted
- 12 March 2021
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Swanscombe Peninsula supports an outstanding range of wildlife- and it is important to continue to protect this land because the wildlife depends on it. Swanscombe is a unique open mosaic of coastal habitats, grasslands, scrub and wetlands that have developed as a result of the site’s complex human history. The Swanscombe Peninsula is an exceptional and exemplar site in a unique location within the ecological context of the Thames Estuary. Swanscombe has been shown to meet SSSI selection criteria, with regards to typicalness, fragility, size, diversity, ecological coherence, and the rarity of both species and habitats supported. The nationally important invertebrate populations and their associated habitats alone should be considered sufficient to meet the criteria of SSSI designation, with an unparalleled associated fauna. It supports over 250 invertebrate species of conservation concern, and 49 red listed species – demonstrably greater than any known OMHPDL site in the UK. For example, its assemblage appears to exceed that of Canvey Wick in terms of number of nationally rare and scarce species, a site held up as ‘the’ exemplary OMHPDL site. This is despite Canvey Wick having a more extensive recording history, including intensive recording approaching its notification, and being a destination for invertebrate recorders for the last decade due to its known importance for brownfield invertebrates. The invertebrate survey data in the public domain for the Swanscombe Peninsula and made 20 available to Natural England has confirmed an impressive species list and it has also taken the useful step of making direct quantitative comparisons with other Thames Estuary sites accepted as being of national importance. The site is also one of only two UK sites for the Critically Endangered Distinguished jumping spider, making it of great significance to the conservation of the species and its continued existence in the UK. The Swanscombe Peninsula also supports populations of other species groups which meet the Kent Wildlife Trust’s criteria for selection and delineation of Local Wildlife Sites, further highlighting the significance of the site for nature conservation in the Thames Estuary38 The site supports exceptional populations of Common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) and Slow worm (Anguis fragilis), with the London Resort’s Ecology Baseline Report stating that “The extent of the wetland habitat and waterbodies within the Kent Project Site has the potential to support large numbers of amphibians and records suggest that smooth and palmate newt, common toad and common frog are present.” The site would also qualify as a Local Wildlife Site due to the presence of breeding populations of both Water vole and Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), and the site is considered locally important due to an assemblage of at least nine bat species, including the Nationally Rare Barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus). I have serious concerns that wildlife across the country is in drastic decline, and that it is more important than ever to spare our national treasures! The Swanscombe Peninsula is simply the wrong place for a theme park- we must value our precious wildlife more than we do a theme park.