Representation by David Waters
- Date submitted
- 8 January 2019
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
The consultation is something of a farce. My principal interest is the impact the building of the proposed road works and the changes in the landscape after completion will have on the bird life in the area. In particular my concern is the Great Bustard. The information used to access the proposed works in relation to birds has been kept secret. My colleagues and friends have repeatedly tried to see the information used in the assessment and have been refused. Another concern is that the organisation responsible for the only Great Bustard population in the UK, the Great Bustard Group, has been denied sight of the assessment on birds ( including the Great Bustard), and were not given any opportunity to see what has been written about the Great Bustard. No other organisation has the up to date data base of population size, breeding locations and success, so who has written the report and what on earth was their source of information? The process appears to have been intentionally dishonest and obstructive. One part of the proposal which has been made public is the desire for significant areas of the local landscape to made open for public access. This is a very dangerous proposal for ground nesting birds such as Great Bustards and Stone Curlews. If large numbers of people are to be encouraged to walk over these nesting areas the access should be prohibited in the breeding season or these very special and rare birds will be lost to the area.