Wildlife Circus

Ø    200 people attended the Public Meeting at St. Andrew's and St. Mark's Junior School Hall, 8.11.12. Unfortunately I arrived for the Q & A session and missed the preceding discussion. Several well considered questions are worth sharing.  An audience member enquired if the site could be worthy of Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on account of the ten bat species recorded (see previous post). The features at Seething Wells are of borough (plants) or regional (bats) importance but not of National Importance.  A site can only be notified as a SSSI if it contains elements deemed to be of National Importance. A SSSI is usually notified on account of a recognisable plant community, forming a specialised suite of habitats and this would not usually be one based on artificial substrate. This was one of the reasons that Ham Lands were never considered suitable, in spite of its diverse range of plants including orchids. Most of the site was...

The updated planning application for Seething Wells/Surbiton Filter Beds available to view and deadline for comments is 9 November, 2012 see here Kingston Planning Authority Join the Friends of Seething Wells on Thursday 8th November, for the first of in a series of public meetings and discussions about securing a fitting future for the filter beds. The headline speaker will be Edward Davey MP, long-time opponent to inappropriate development on the site, and there will be a chance to hear the arguments about the special nature of the filter beds and why the Friends of Seething Wells are campaigning to protect and conserve this valuable site. It will be held at St Andrew’s and St Mark’s Junior School, on Maple Road, Surbiton, KT6 4AL – starting at 8.00pm (but refreshments available from 7.30pm). www.friendsofseethingwells.org Public meeting:why-hydros-planning-application-should-be-refused-public-meeting-on-8th-november/441455909245356