I hope they sink (IV)

Mark 11 Comments

Something for the weekend Vice Chancellor?

I’m quite sure that the Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University, Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, will have been thinking about his boathouse conundrum.  Here are some contributions for his weekend cogitation.

It’s not going to go away – you are stick with a contentious issue.  Sometimes it’s tempting to think that keeping your head down is all that is needed – not now that the cat is out of the bag, in my opinion.  And could it get worse?  What if the Boat Club had been advised of the wildlife importance of the site by the Wildlife Trust, Natural England, the Environment Agency or others?  That would put the focus even more on the University’s appreciation of wildlife in practice.

No, the way out for the University, and indeed for the Environment Agency who will have to answer questions on their role in all this, is to sell the land back to EA and ask for their legal expenses to be reimbursed.  That way the University has to start again on its search for a boathouse but they avoid the opprobrium that will attach to this site.  The Environment Agency ought to be very keen on this option as their role is not finding boathouse sites for universities with public land and they will avoid difficult questions on what wildlife advice they sought and why they thought that this option was OK.  And the otters, bitterns etc should be happy too.

It’s not a solution that makes everyone ecstatic – but the Boat Club and the EA got themselves into this mess and this is the ‘stop digging’ option.

PS English Heritage don’t seem at all keen on this development on grounds that have nothing to do with wildlife.

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11 Replies to “I hope they sink (IV)”

  1. It seems that the East Cambs District Council are responding to all comments on the planning application by actual letter, presumably a legal requirement (I know nothing of legal matters). Hopefully, as they will have send out 242 responses so far, this issue will also become a big enough pain in their administrative bums that it will give them another reason to view the application unfavourably. I hope more people will be making their feelings felt on the planning page

  2. I’m not surprised at that those put in charge to protect the enviroment around us are so clueless about the wildlife on this project…sadly we know the outcome of this planning application Cambs.Uni 1, Wildlife 0.

  3. I would like to know how it comes to be that the EA owns land in the first place. A legacy from its origins in Regional Water Authorities and LA waste operations? Why is this land not inalienable? There should have been a No Lycra, No Hooray Henries, No Lunatics On Bicycles Shouting Into Megaphones And Not Looking Where They Are Going, No Boats Longer Than A Coracle Memorandum of Understanding.

    Apart from all that – this amused me today: http://newsthump.com/2013/04/05/blow-for-glue-factory-as-aintree-announces-exclusive-deal-with-tesco/

  4. If cambridge teach environmental subjects (I do not know whether they do or not, as I went to a Secondary Modern School) and they are prepared to destroy our environment for their dug-out, then cambridge are using double standards for their own aims. No wonder our “leaders” are so clueless if this is the standard set by universities. This proves that education standards have fallen, either so that a PM can say more students have gained degrees under their rule or perhaps students expect to be given degrees after paying for them? Want a degree? Please send £10,000 and we will send your degree by return of post. Why bother with universities. Save the environment and scrap unis?

  6. Heard and saw a Chiffchaff today – first for the ‘winter’. 2 days ago, in almost exactly the same spot, a crinkle winged Comma just about managed to fly about 4ft to crash into some dead grass – yes, in the sun! Being a natural pessimist I can’t say I feel as though spring is around the corner – but despite the arctic ice of the NE gale blowing constantly on the NNorfolk coast, Wells Dell inspired me yet again.

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