Yesterday evening’s decision by East Northants District Council was the right one, and was arrived at through a mixture of heart and head. David Williamson, speaking for the Forestry Commission demonstrated no ecological understanding of the importance of this site and his message to the councillors was essentially ‘Don’t worry dears, it’s all OK really’. …
Author: Mark
Born Bristol, UK
Educated: Cleeve House School Bristol, Bristol Grammar School and Downing College Cambridge
Ph.D. University of Aberdeen, Winter activity of pipistrelle bats.
NERC post-doctoral Research Fellow, Edward Grey Institute, Oxford University
Former Conservation Director of the RSPB, 1989-2011
Not so Fine Shade (7) – a good decision!
East Northants District Council Development Control Committee decided, about half an hour ago, to refuse planning permission for a 70 holiday cabin development at Fineshade Wood. I think it was 11 against and one abstention with none in favour (2 members absent and the Chair and Vice chair not voting). The grounds for refusal were…
Not so Fine Shade (6) – the council decides
The future of Fineshade Wood is becoming a local cause celebre with national resonance. My Guardian blog has, so far, been shared on social media about 2000 times, and received over 150 comments (mostly shocked at what is going on there). The e-petition on this subject has passed 3000 signatures. The chief executive of the…
Quiz
OK – time for another little quiz, thanks to the wonder of Birdtrack. The list below is a birdlist from a site I have visited many times, not primarily to see birds, but then you can’t help but see birds if you have your eyes and ears tuned in. Mallard Pheasant Grey Heron Red Kite…
Not so Fine Shade (5) – privatisation by the back door?
This is a piece I have just had published on the Guardian website which puts Fineshade into the wider political context. Why has the FC allowed Forest Holidays to submit a planning proposal with such inadequate data? Where are those who opposed forestry privatisation when it was proposed by the front door, now it is…