Bats and WHSAP
Nine species of bats have been identified in the park, among them members of the UK’s rare, internationally important population of Bechstein’s bats that roost in Green Lane Wood.
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Natterers bat by Guido Gerding (CC3.0)
Daubenton’s bat Guido Gerding (CC.3.0)
Nathusius pipistrelle by fs-phil ((CC2.0)
Common Pipistrelle by Barracuda 1983 (CC3.0)
Wiltshire Housing Site Allocation Plan
We have been exploring the trackless wastes of the Wiltshire Council’s website, hacking through dense thickets of acronyms, all the while under attack from syntactical monsters such as:
Sustainability Appraisal (SA) is iterative and integrated into the plan-making process, influencing the selection of site options and policies through the assessment of likely significant effects….
Who to write to about Trowbridge housing plan
A lot of people have asked who they can contact either to ask questions about the Wiltshire Housing Site Allocation Plan (henceforth known as WHSAP) or to register their objection to it.
Continue reading “Who to write to about Trowbridge housing plan”
Wildlife corridor
Above is an aerial photograph of the wildlife corridor between Trowbridge and the villages of Southwick and North Bradley. It connects the woods and open farmland east of the railway line to Southwick Country Park, Sleight Wood and Vaggs Hill in the west. Rare Bechstein’s bats from Green Lane Wood use the corridor to reach SCP where they feed.
Lambrok Stream threatened
Lambrok Stream is the heart of the park’s ecosystem; the residential development proposed for Church Lane threatens its well-being.
Housing proposal for Church Lane
RPS is preparing a planning application for a residential development in the field between the park and Church Lane; the field is shaded yellow in the map above.
The vandalism spreads
At half term, there was more damage to the trees in the copse at the top of Village Green, fortunately nothing fatal this time but still significant. There was evidence of a camp. The rough grassland, left for wildlife, where we have been planting native daffodils, had been trampled flat in places. We picked up the litter and hoped it was an isolated incident.
Hundreds turn out for special NHS parkrun in SCP
Last Saturday Southwick Country parkrun celebrated the 70th anniversary of the NHS. Hundreds of runners took part, many of them in fancy dress.
This is Cathy Warner photographed by Martin Pearce (flickr credit: dungey2002) and FoSCP is willing to bet real spending money she’s not in fancy dress; she’s running in her work clothes. Well done Cathy; well done everybody.
Here is a link to an article in this week’s Wiltshire Times.
Sarah’s Report to the Village Newsletter
By Sarah Marsh . . .
This month’s report is all about our volunteers and the work they do. Without the Friends, the Park would be in a sorry state as the Countryside Team gets ever smaller and funding is limited. We are all unpaid and give our time willingly to keep the Park looking lovely and preserve it for future generations. But working in the Park is just one part of the Friends commitments.
Despite the announcement on Wiltshire Council’s website and in the Wiltshire Times, the Traffic Regulation Order notices that have gone up in the car park do not mean that parking charges will be introduced at Southwick Country Park. They are part of the formal consultation process that the county has to complete in order to change their car parking strategy. Such notices have gone up in several car parks across the county.
Marathon Man
Frank Lamerton, Friend of Southwick Country Park, ran the London Marathon last weekend in 4 hours 19 minutes and 14 seconds. Out of the 174 runners over the age of seventy, he came 13th. It was the hottest London Marathon on record and Frank came in somewhere around number 13,500 among 41,000 finishers.
Wiltshire Council has agreed with us that parking fees at Southwick Country Park are unworkable; the proposal has been withdrawn.
Car Parking News
FROM DAVID FEATHER: –
A big thank you to all of you who signed the petition last weekend against charging for car parking in the Country Park. We presented it to the Council on Monday.
Parking Fees Recommended
Parking Fees for the Park?
Wiltshire Council has consulted on charges for car parks across the county, including the car park at Southwick Country Park. The proposed rate at Southwick is: £0.80 for an hour, £1.30 for two and £2.70 for three.
