Eastville Park and Potential Damage To Existing Badger Setts

  This is what is being sent out today to all parties concerned or who should be concerned

This will be the last badger sett development case I work on. The total lack of support in these cases locally (barring one) involves a lot of time and stress,

Hello.

I am writing as a Bristolian as well as a naturalist/mammalogist regarding plans that have been forwarded to me re development on the Eastville Park site. As a child growing up in St Werburgh’s fine days were spent walking to the Park and enjoying activities there. From the 1960s on the Park has become even more important to people in Bristol as it is a green oasis surrounded by busy roads –which once you get into the Park you can ignore and enjoy the environment. Some of my first experiences with wildlife as a child were in the Park.

Eastville Park was established in 1889 when the Bristol City Council purchased land from Sir Greville Smyth to create a public park for working-class residents. Key features include a Victorian-designed ornamental lake and a bowling green, while historic elements like the Grade II listed boundary wall remain and it now includes a modern community garden.

I have attached links to the various items regarding the development (proposed or otherwise) and the site earmarked is close to badger setts.

Development near Badger Sett Eastville Park; as a guide, any work within 30m of an entrance to a badger sett (or 100m for pile driving and blasting work) could result in disturbance of a badger in the sett, or block or damage tunnels that radiate from the entrance to the sett.

According to the Badger Trust Guide for Developers

“Planning and development activities are some of the most common threats to badgers reported to Badger Trust. Over 50% of badger crimes reported relate to sett interference, and 20% of these are related to housing and development projects. Even if sett interference is accidental, any act (malicious or negligent)  which disturbs badgers and their setts is illegal under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. Therefore, as a Developer, it is in your best interest to protect yourself by protecting local badgers.

“Badger Trust has created Guides for Developers, Ecologists and Planners, which are freely available. The document is designed to guide Developers through appropriate steps to protect badgers and their setts from development activities, with advice on legal responsibilities and badger harm mitigation strategies.

  “Badger Trust also encourages local councils to liaise with local Badger Groups who may offer advice and information on local badger populations.”

I have included a link to DEFRA and Badgers: protection and licences What you must do to avoid harming badgers and when you’ll need a licence.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/badgers-protection-surveys-and-licences

Badgers: protection and licences - GOV.UK What you must do to avoid harming badgers and when you’ll need a licence. www.gov.uk

Land for sale with planning permission right by the old swimming pool in Eastville Park.  There is still an active badger sett in the woods behind the old walled swimming pool.  Past conversations with people who frequently use the Park and watch wildlife suggests that the badger sett may run beneath the  old pool which is consistent with my own sightings pre 2019.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CtaZrFkk4/

This is a direct link to the right move listing.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/166736504?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=commercial-buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=COM_BUY

Check out this Plot for sale on Rightmove

Plot for sale in Development Site | BS5 for £400,000. Marketed by Hollis Morgan Auctions Bristol and West Country, Bristol

    We have so far lost over 300,000 badgers in the cull and Bristol each year loses 70+_ badgers on its roads as the Labour and current Green Party run City Council were made aware as I have discussed this with them as well as supplied copies of the Bristol Badger Deaths Registers which I maintain (if you require copies I can forward those). Disturbances could drive badgers on to the main roads around the Park or collapse sett tunnels. 

    The very idea of wanting to sell off parkland to a developer shows the most crass attitude towards not just the wildlife –mammal, bird or insect- but also the Green environment that Bristol City Council constantly declares itself proud of during “this ecological and environmental emergency”.  More it is a slap in the face of the public and residents who will not just have a construction site in the Park but will not find the peaceful haven they are used to and I am fully aware that many people with mental health issues visit the park because of the environment there which can be quite peaceful even on busy summer days.

    With so many Brown sites going to waste using a valuable Green space like Eastville Park sets a precedence that cannot be allowed to be unchallenged –the further development implications for a cash grab are obvious and what one currently run City Council promises can be disregarded in future; I have had first had experience of this over the last 30 years and so have many others.

    I would politely suggest that another (non Green Space) be considered for development and that Eastville Park, its badgers and other wildlife be left in peace.

Terry Hooper

Chair Bristol Wildlife Group/Bristol Badger Group