Representation by Wendy Riddle
- Date submitted
- 29 March 2021
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Overview There are 2 incontrovertible reasons why the proposal for the “London Theme Park” on the Swanscombe Peninsula should be rejected. The first, is the unique importance of the Swanscombe Nature Reserve, and the second is that the proposed development will negate any attempts by the UN and our government to tackle the interlinked crises of (i) reducing climate change, (ii) reversing the global loss of biodiversity, and (iii) controlling this pandemic and future ones. The unique importance of the Swanscombe Nature Reserve Swanscombe Marshes Nature Reserve has now (Mar 29th, 2021) been designated a “Site of Special Scientific Interest” (SSSI) by English Nature in recognition of the tight mosaic of diverse habitats, including coastal wetland and the impressive range of species present, as detailed by the work of Buglife, Kent Wildlife Trust, and the RSPB in the document submitted to English Nature , “Rationale for the SSSI designation of the Swanscombe Peninsula”, Jan 2021. Many of the notable species are plants and invertebrates, which have in the past often been overlooked, even though they are the powerhouse supporting more iconic species. The re-wilding of this once industrial area should be celebrated and provide a model enabling and encouraging re-wilding projects elsewhere. As such, the only building that would further enhance the recreational and ecological value of the site would be a small, non-intrusive, ecobuild education and research centre which would support the sharing of good practice and enable current, relatively local visitors; nature lovers; walkers; photographers etc. to gain more knowledge from their visit in addition to the physical and mental health benefits that have been illuminated by research during the COVID-19 pandemic. How the “London Theme Park” will exacerbate the interlinked crises of: (i) climate change, (ii) global loss of biodiversity, and (iii) this pandemic and future ones. The current proposal of a “London Theme Park” requiring four 1000 bed hotels, motorway construction and a cross Thames link, will (i) clearly add to the distances and number of people travelling to the area in private vehicles (even if some vehicles are electric), in addition to the pollution generated by the heavy construction traffic prior to the facility opening. These activities will produce more, rather than less gases contributing to climate change. (ii) The London Theme Park will destroy the Swanscombe Nature Reserve adding to the global loss of biodiversity. (iii) Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic existing hotels have been closed, with serious financial implications, as attempts to make them COVID-safe and ensure visitors are COVID-free, proved impossible. The proposed London Theme Park will be a serious transmission risk and will face closure and financial loss, as future pandemics are to be expected. Summary The proposal for the London Theme Park on Swanscombe Peninsula is outdated 20th century planning and completely counteracts efforts to solve the crises of the 21st century, namely Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, Pandemic Control. Therefore, the London Theme Park proposal must be rejected.