Wildlife Circus

       Update Application Refused: at the Planning Committee meeting 11.3.26, the application was presented by planning officer Joel Turner. It was  refused on the basis of   substantial harm to the Metropolitan Open Land due to the scale, height, massing of the proposal . Although councillors recognised that we are in 'tilted balance' and the housing units were much needed, this was the wrong location; it was also out of character, 16 storeys was not in keeping with the character of the area, representing an overdevelopment.  Cllr Davy: We keep being told that this will represent 'no substantial harm to the MoL and I can't help but wonder what would count as substantial harm'. Cllr Sadr-Hashemi (to planning officer):  'it seems that this is not meeting our tall buildings policy, can you speak to that?'  Cllr Giles: The Council's Capacity Assessment (2019) was for 78-166 homes (Call for Sites) and 586 greatly exceeds this number  Cl...

      Daubenton's bats   Earlier this week three of us went to an undisclosed location in Barnes to assess an area thought to be used by Daubenton's bats. The bats were heard chittering during a survey by two Project officers working for the Friends of Barnes Common. They withdrew until someone with the requisite license could join them. Nineteen bats were counted at three locations, including smaller fluffy individuals deemed to be juveniles. Judging by droppings and staining found elsewhere at the site, the nursery was slightly further to the south.  There are not many maternity colonies of this species known in the Greater London area and hopefully we can monitor this roost using thermal cameras and static bat detection equipment.  The location is naturally dark and we want to keep it that way by writing to the adjacent  landowners. Daubenton's bats require no/low levels of light to move along river corridors to foraging areas and alternative roos...

Opportunity areas in Kingston   The bloggers will be burning the night oil after each of the Examination in Public (EiP) hearings of the Mayors London Plan. Some of yesterday's session on Opportunity Areas and Regeneration, is expounded below see also Kingston's emerging Local Plan Whilst no one wants to stop genuine homes being provided for our citizens - shelter is a human right - many are concerned about the way this is being undertaken. The inclusion of much of Kingston as 'Opportunity Areas' to deliver housing targets of 30,000, has raised a number of questions- including from our council - who want to see this number halved. The London Tenants Federation as well as many  other organisations  are calling for a halt in the spread of Opportunity Areas. OA's can mean that normal planning rules are suspended and density increases can be up to 300% ABOVE  average new development. They determine that an area can take extraordinary numbers of jobs and ne...

  Highlight of the week: looking for sandmartins at Kingsmeadow and finding slow worms along the Hogsmill. Now the weather is warming it is a good time to spot slow worms. One was seen slithering across the path near Dickerage Lane recreation ground close to where strimmed dead animals are sometimes found.   Last weekend I visited Risborough Green - near the Beverley brook - where these animals have been recently recorded. The last comprehensive reptile  survey of the borough was carried out by LEHART as they were then  known (now the London ARG) by Will Atkins. It is thought that Risborough Green  was known as Kingshill Conservation Area in these surveys. Risborough Green, W.Park    The rough grass on sunny banks, should be retained for them as there are few places - other than allotments - where we have recent records except Tolworth where there are records of slow worms and common lizards. The latter species was recorded during surveys...

The Beverley Brook rises near Nonsuch Park at Stoneleigh and forms the eastern boundary to the borough from Motspur Park through New Malden to Roehampton Vale. Along the Kingston boundary it forms part of a number of sites from Back Green (Sutton) Manor Park, Malden Golf Course, Coombe Wood and Wimbledon Common. (ref side-tabs Beverley Brook). Today we set off on the west or sunny side of the riparian vegetation, fringing the sports fields owned by Kingston council.  Ramshorn gall   Here a wealth of galls were noted on oak: marble, ramshorn, cherry, currant and knopper galls which is a bowl shaped protrusion. This is caused by a tiny gall wasp, Andricus quercuscalicis. It produces ridged outgrowths on the acorns of our native pedunculate oak; forming in August, becoming woody and brown. A second generation then develops in the catkins of Turkey Oak. Hart's tongue and male fern     Along the banks of the brook - wherever the tree cover opens -...