Wildlife Circus

23/01636/FUL The conversion and change of use of the Pumphouse building.  The planning file is disappointing and inaccurate: there has been no correspondence from the consultants to the London Bat Group inbox. I did contact them about the Bat Survey last year - but there was little interest in the information relayed - I am the trainer for the London Bat Group. The original mitigation strategy for the bat roost is not being applied to this application. The site has been validated as  Open Mosaic Habitat by the University of East London. The planting proposed around the wharf and pumping station will have an impact on the OMH. This is because invasive species and species not characteristic of the plant community are included with the proposal. There is reptile interest  at the wharf and a mitigation strategy was drawn up in 2018 for an application that falls under Elmbridge council see below.

  Say 'Goodbye' to our public buildings Enclosed into gated estates, Hawks Road Clinic at the cusp of demolition, where a developers paradise awaits. Where neighbourhood kids had their growth checks Met Nitty Nora , zapped veruccas and warts. Health staff wafted asbestos mothballs, & essence of Jeyes Fluid with old farts. Long - winded ante - natal classes with their throw-name, cushion-games; ground down the room. Praise for the wisdom of the iced - finger glove the new babes created a free contraceptive clinic boom. On the tarmac no more mammogram pantechnicon. No more recognition song for the spires of Jack - in - the - hedge. Trees gone, stump - ground, dissappeared  by attrition Blackbirds no longer crave subterfuge. I say 'Goodbye' they say 'its only 2 buses to the clinic in Surbiton'.    see also hawks-road-clinic 2021

                                     Ancient Oak   There was a good turn out for the bat walk on Saturday evening (23.9.23). Three species were recorded on bat detection equipment:  Common Pipistrelle bat, Soprano Pipistrelle bat, and Nathusius’ Pipistrelle bat. The activity was slightly down on previous years, but we were still able to see: foraging bats in the old orchard, commuting bats along the tree lines, and  detect many social calls at the end of the evening by the lake. The lower activity level was surprising due to the warm evening temperature, lack of wind and at a time of year when bats normally require stocking up on food for the colder months ahead. We had a good discussion on the problems faced by bats with climate change, light pollution, insect loss and loss of habitat.

It is some time since I have attended a Guildhall meeting, as everything can be viewed on - line now; last Thursday's Place Committee was a must see/hear culmination of several months of meetings between the council and interested parties to work on a consensus position for the future of the Filter Beds.  https://kingston.public Seething Wells All Party Working Group Meetings began 11.3.22 and there were five during 2022 and three this year with  recommendations produced for the Place Committee's consideration. Throughout, there was a useful focus on actions that had often been on the agenda, but never progressed, such as the application for designation as an Asset of Community Value. The application was unsuccessful based on the lack of public access onto the site. The Neighbourhood Manager stated that the decision does not preclude a further application in the future should circumstances change.   Meetings have also been convened with the site owners, Cascina, who welcomed t