Princes Parade Update: Badger Sett & Ecological matters set to go before Planning on 24th August.

What with the Save Princes Parade Group continuing to keep up the pressure on Folkestone & Hythe District Council with a demonstration on Sunday the 15 August, we note that Princes Parade will appear on the Planning Committee agenda twice on Tuesday 24 August.

We also note lloydbore have released yet another version of the Ecological Method Statement.

We note at paragraph 2.45 it states:

It was concluded that the extent of suitable reptile habitat present within the Primary Reptile Receptor Site has increased across spring and summer 2021 as a consequence of the enhancement works but that this does not yet provide a sufficient extent of good quality reptile habitat to allow translocation to commence yet. Reptiles will therefore now be translocated to the Secondary Reptile Receptor Site.

The secondary site is the cemetery (marked orange) located at the western end of Spring Lane, Hythe.

The report goes onto state:

The suitability of the Secondary Reptile Receptor Site for reptiles was assessed by Lloyd Bore in early spring 2021. At the time of this initial assessment, the cemetery was dominated by habitat of low suitability for reptiles (closely mown grassland, but with a botanically mature and diverse sward composition, with small areas of moderate suitability habitat present around the cemetery margins, including some rubble piles and fallen timber and brash that provide some suitable shelter and hibernation opportunities for reptiles).

The cemetery is well connected to an extensive wider local network of habitats (woodland, grassland and scrub) that are of good suitability for reptiles and it was determined that the suitability of habitats within the cemetery could be rapidly improved by the cessation of mowing, to allow a taller, more structurally complex grass and forb sward to develop – to provide enhanced shelter, foraging and basking opportunities for reptiles; and the addition of log piles and hibernacula to provide new shelter, hibernation, basking and foraging opportunities.

As we said at the beginning on the agenda for the Planning and Licensing Committee Tuesday, 24th August, 2021 7.00 pm issues relating to Princes Parade appear twice.

Firstly at Agenda Item 10; which is to do with the formation of an artificial badger sett to replace a main sett that will be removed as a result of the overall development for Princes Parade. The reccomendation is for approval – quelle surpise.

And Agenda Item 11  which considers whether approval should be given for the submitted details in pursuance of conditions 15 (site clearance stage), 16 (phase 1) and 17 (phase 1). The submitted Ecological Method Statement details how the scheme is to comply with these conditions and safeguard protected species on site. This reports incorporates advice from Kent County Council’s Ecological Advice Service who have confirmed that the submitted details are acceptable and as such the application can be approved – quelle surprise.

Summary of the intended development

1. Build 150 dwellings of three and four storeys, a hotel and a retail area.

2. Build a leisure centre with 25m pool, gym and studios… much smaller than originally promised, and with no sports hall.

3. To make space, buildings will be as close to the beach as permitted, covering a third of the existing road – creating a wider promenade but one now within a built-up area and with minimal views to the north.

4.Re-route the seafront road inland to run six metres higher and, for much of its length, less than 20 metres from the Royal Military Canal, at one point this narrows to just 13 metres.

5. Surface water from the site will drain into the canal. This involves an extensive complex of high-maintenance. underground storage tanks to slow flow rates.

6. The much-vaunted ‘public open space‘ to the west of the site has all but disappeared. In its place is a 1.25 acre muddy drainage pond

7. The contamination stays in situ, unsealed and covered with topsoil.

One must not forget that Princes Parade will see the loss of open green space and like Otterpool will mean more of the 8% of land already developed in our district, will be lost to concrete.

If you care for your green spaces, be they Otterpool, Princes Parade or elsewhere, then do write to your local Cllrs and let them know your opinion.

The Shepway Vox Team

Journalism for the People NOT the Powerful

t