Victoria's Green Matters - 2nd July 2015

Deal With IT's Secretary Victoria Nicholls writes a regular column in the East Kent Mercury:

There are a lot of reports these days about the wrangling between developers, builders, local residents and wildlife groups regarding the building of new homes. We all know that there is a huge shortage of houses throughout the country, particularly affordable homes for ordinary people. We also know that developers always prefer to build on virgin land, quite often these days it’s also green belt land, which usually kicks off a local protest by residents like the one over the Sholden Fields development and the forthcoming development in Station Road in Walmer. There are many brown field sites around the country that could be developed but builders do not like to waste time and money clearing a site that may have been used for industry.

It was very interesting to read about a development near Aylesbury where there has been co-operation between the builder and the RSPB to create a large, nature friendly housing scheme which will include wildlife corridors to enable creatures to move around; nectar rich plants for bees; homes for swifts and bats; hedgehog highways and fruit trees in gardens. The development will also include 250 acres of wildlife rich open space which will be accessible to all residents of the area.

It is intended for the project to continue when the homes are finished and new residents have arrived; the RSPB will work with residents for them to learn about the wildlife around them and to help them maintain the ecosystems that have been created.