Representation by Nicky Wilson
- Date submitted
- 12 June 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I visit Crossness Nature Reserve regularly and at a time when nature is in dire need of protecting, it astounds me that Cory wish to deplete it even further. There is industrial land nearby that could be used for this proposal - nature should not suffer because this is the easy route. I am most concerned with planning proposals to build on one of the last remaining area of grazed marshland within the Greater London area. Crossness Nature Reserve is a Metropolitan Site of Importance for Nature where a variety of rare wildlife can be found, including the Shrill Carder Bee (the UK's rarest bumblebee). Skylark, listed as red status on the conservation list, used to nest on this reserve but their habitat has already been destroyed by previous Cory planning agreements - are we really going to let organisations carry on destroying nature sites because they have the money to do so? I strongly object to this proposal and the idea that Cory are 'extending the reserve'. Their plans include removing vital habitat from the reserve and it is NOT replaced. They plan to 'enhance' land that already supports habitat for wildlife - this is not good enough and will not make up for the loss. In the last few years, during difficult times, many of us turned to nature to help us mentally and physically, and Crossness Nature Reserve is a haven for many for this reason. Surely this must also be seen as more important than concreting over green space and marshland, and destroying the natural environment?