Mail from Park Watch
friends ofscp@outlook.com
Just wanted to report the riding of a quad bike in the field by Lambrok. One adult Male riding with a small toddler included.
No quad bikes
Wiltshire Housing Site Allocation Plan update.
Wiltshire’s Spatial Planning Department has said that Inspector Stephen Lee’s preliminary report on the WHSAP Examination, which was due on Thursday May 9th, is delayed but for only a matter of a few days. When it has been received, it will be published on the WHSAP webpage.
All our posts on this subject are tagged WHSAP.
Park Watch update
Our suggestion that we set up a Park Watch along the lines of a Neighbourhood Watch brought in a double handful of volunteers, all of them regular park users. They said that they wanted to help or that they hated to see the park spoiled in any way; nearly all said the park is a special place for them.
Continue reading “Park Watch update”Park Watch
The vandalism in the park began earlier this year than last but at least it began with the destruction of infrastructure rather than with the killing of trees, as it did last year.
destruction of infrastructure 
the killing of trees
Mail from Sam Smith, the Sports Participation and Coach Coordinator for Trowbridge Town Council.
Continue readingWHSAP hearings finished
Tuesday 16th April was the date of the final session of public hearings on the Wiltshire Housing Site Allocation Plan Examination; it was held at the Civic Centre in Trowbridge.
Continue reading “WHSAP hearings finished”Conservation in West Wilts
This is Chris Hogg, the warden of the nature reserve at Widbrook Wood. He attended our last committee meeting and explained that he is trying to build links between all the small conservation groups in west Wiltshire; a venture we approve of at FoSCP. He has asked us to post a message.
Click here to read Chris’s message
FoSCP’s response to Newland Homes’ proposal for the site at Upper Studley.
Continue readingWHSAP Hearings.
The Wiltshire Housing Site Allocation Plan Examination is entering the second week of hearings. The Friends of Southwick Country Park spoke on Thursday (04/03/2019) of last week about the importance of the Church Lane site to the ecology of the Lambrok and the park. We tried to point out Wiltshire’s obligation under SEA Directive 2001/42/EC and the National Planning Policy Framework (2019) to properly assess the ecology of the Lambrok as it runs through the sites at Church Lane, Upper Studley and Southwick Court.
Continue readingEnhancing biodiversity
Protection does work.
Protected areas, national parks, nature reserves, and local wildlife areas do conserve biodiversity. In 2014, research undertaken by the universities at Exeter, Monash and Stellenbosch found that protected areas have significantly improved biodiversity. Plant and animal populations are measurably larger and there are more species inside the protected areas than there are outside: a wonderfully straightforward conclusion that everybody should be using to direct conservation policy.
FoSCP’s response to the Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy
This morning we made our formal response to the disastrous proposals for Southwick Country Park in Section 9 of the otherwise excellent Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy. This is a link to our representation documents.
marsh marigolds
common frog
Yellow flag iris
Boggy Patch Update
Mail from Ian this morning:
“Checked boggy area yesterday, coming on well and no more interference.”
This is excellent news. While it may look like nothing more than a muddy patch at the moment, the flora and fauna that inhabit boggy patches will soon move in. We are hoping for iris and marsh marigolds, frogs and caddis fly larvae. If we get the flora right, the water voles will graze there on sedge and rush leaves.
Click here for a really cute video of watervolesSouthwick Nature Reserve
At the beginning of 2014, FoSCP and the Countryside Team submitted a proposal to Natural England that Southwick Country Park be declared a Local Nature Reserve. We know this was done with Wiltshire Council’s permission because we couldn’t have done it without; they are the landowners. A management plan for Southwick Nature Reserve was drawn up.
Continue reading “Southwick Nature Reserve”WHSAP Examination Hearings
The WHSAP public hearings will begin on April 2nd. FoSCP have submitted additional written representation and have asked permission to speak at the hearing to be held on the morning of April 4th, when the biodiversity at sites at H2.4, H2.5 and H2.6 will be discussed.
Here is our second submission to the WHSAP Examination.
Our first submission can be found on the main menu under the heading WHSAP. All our posts about Wiltshire’s Housing Site Allocation Plan are tagged WHSAP and our posts about the planning application at Church Lane are tagged Church Lane.
Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy
The draft Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy was published yesterday, February 21st. It contains information and proposals that will certainly be significant to both the WHSAP Examination and to RPS’s application to develop the Church Lane site.
Click here for the detailsWHSAP: the Friends plan the next move
FoSCP’s Wednesday work party met half an hour early, in the car park, to discuss the latest developments in Wiltshire’s Housing Site Allocation Plan’s Examination.
Continue reading “WHSAP: the Friends plan the next move”1.Here is WHSAP Programme Officer Ian Kemp’s postal address for those who do not use or trust email:
Ian Kemp
Wiltshire HSAP Programme Officer
16 Cross Furlong
Wychbold
Droitwich Spa
Worcester WR9 7TA
2. Here is a webpage that has been set up to report on the progress of the WHSAP Examination.
3. The hearings in April will be held in public but only those who have applied to do so will be invited to speak; applications need to be made before 5pm Friday 8th March.
WHSAP – the latest news
The Inspector’s Examination of the Wiltshire Housing Site Allocation Plan (WHSAP) has reached the public hearing stage. Hearings will begin on April 2nd at 9.30 am in The Civic Trowbridge, St Stephen’s Place, BA14 8AH.
Continue reading “WHSAP – the latest news”Church Lane site update
The decision on the planning application (18/10035/OUT) to develop the Church Lane site was due to be made yesterday, Wednesday Feb 6th, but has been delayed. The target date for a decision is now Monday April 1st.
Continue reading “Church Lane site update”Asda’s Community Room
By Sarah Marsh
The Friends of Southwick Country Park and a member of the Wiltshire Countryside Team have a bi-monthly get together. These meetings last about two hours and are always held on the last Tuesday afternoon of every other month.
Continue reading “Asda’s Community Room”Asda benches
By Sarah Marsh
“A new year and time to reflect on the old one and where better than on one of two seats donated by Asda. The Friends of Southwick Country Park applied for their tokens scheme and when customers voted for us we were awarded £500.
Continue reading “Asda benches”
Check your dog after a walk
By David Feather
A newish hazard for dogs is Alabama Rot Disease which is caught from walking in muddy woody areas. Not a lot appears to be known about it, but it is a very dangerous disease that can lead to kidney failure.
Continue reading “Check your dog after a walk”
Southwick Country Park Nature Reserve 