FEET - Freshwater Environment Ecology Trust held a meeting at Cromwell House at short notice at request of local residents entitled How Green is Your Valley ? 14 Residents attended regarding Planning Matters and the overall impact for change in Planning Direction and Master Planning for the lower Valley and which had a mutual theme of protecting the unique character of Lower Valley (as ascribed by the authorities UDP as Green Belt )
Key points achieved
Widening Awarem#ness
Enhancing participation
Communicating Issues
Particulatly relevant where/are the councils consultative prcoess that govern the future Master Planning which in our evidential view is flawed for a number of reasons , and where there is considerable overlap in local planning matters and the healthy future of Cromwell Bottom LNR
We are dissapointed in the position of Cromwell Bottom Wildlife Group in supporting the councils Consulatation Process. It is FEETs view that the consultations will be applied , as per the exhibition model of the whole of Lower Valley to decision Master Planning using the LNR simply as a lever to that effect .
Such consultaive processes will likely involve an analogous Scenario to the Library Loss whereby the People of Halifax where denied a Primary facility , paid for them and fit for purpose and overwhelmingly reflected by the views of the People of Halifax who made them clear and where ignored. It is also unclear what is being consulted on , and whether opening the North face of the Valley will be harmful to the Biodiversity of the Nature Reserve and Valley as a whole by impacting on the Nature Valuie of Cromwell Bottom LNR . Additionally material provided is inaccurate, North Loop is a Closed Landfill Site and will remain so until such times the regulated site is remediated and licence discharged by the EA - Environment Ageny. It is therefore not a former Landfill Site. but in fact a landfill site in the process of remediation.
The council has had a 20 yr legacy of not remediating Landfill at this locality and has insidiously permeated into the environment those days are over environmental law has changed . Let us not disguise this fact and the presumption to devlop land under national planning directives does not exempt or provide a caveat for any local authoty or developer to ignore ground or water contamination
Additionally in regarrd to surrounding Land. The promotion of cycling on the foot print of the reserve also conflicts with the current managment of a Local Nature Reserve
We will also shortly be addressing HSS - Halifax Scientific Society to ensure all of its members are made aware of all technical and scientific issues are raised and to establish whether or not they are raising or endorsing questions as to why the process of nominating and Safe Guarding North Loop as a Local Nature Reserve or whether they are currently monitorring it FOC to conform to the Environment Agencies Direction to the Local Authority to save them fees on ecological consultants and which is compulsory in its re-instatement such that the Authority may then turn it into a well landscaped business park
The same rationale applies to Cromwell Bottom Wildlife Group in regard to their consitution which had now been ammended a number of times removing the direction of haveng the LNR expanded to accomodate North Loop or in the alternative a SSI - Site of Scientific Interest
The Public are not being made aware of what private land owners are being approached and what is being negotiated as opposed to consulted, FEET will establish that with a FOI to Calderdasle Council MDC to establish such facts or in the alternative any issues relevant to Development in Green Belt to ensure UDP Policies are followed and Green Belt Direction Achieved
As a stakeholder group who is wholly INDEPENDENT of local authority decision making we can no longer endorse the rationale of Cromwell Bottom Wildlife Group in supporting the councils Consultative process which is geared to making a financial cash cow out the Nature Reserve , to include business and commercial , facilities car parking and other financial derivatives . We believe the actions of other groups are such to juxtapose themselves at the expense of nature and without the basic conservation inititives
If you too are of the belief that changes will be detrimental to the environment please exercise your view and sign the petition at Change Org. Thank you to those that have done so (including memeber of CBWG )
Protect Cromwell Bottom as a Local Nature Reserve LNR (Click Link)
How green is the Council ?
Not as Green as you might think we have now three incident reports relating to Landfill or Pollution incidents effecting the River Calder arising from Calderdale MDC .
The council has had a 20 yr legacy of not remediating Landfill at this locality and has insidiously permeated into the environment those days are over environmental law has changed . Let us not disguise this fact and the presumption to devlop land under national planning directives does not exempt or provide a caveat for any local authoty or developer to ignore ground or water contamination
FEET will continue to be a sentinel for the River and the Wildlife it supports in the Valley and will continue to send clear messages to those that pollute the environment
If you are interest in learning more about FEET or seeking a full view of management issues affecting the Nature Reserve in order for YOU to make an informed decision please visit our stand at the LNR or contact Colin Duke FEET
Petition
The Councils Consultation
Firstly I am now in a position to assert the councils consultation is flawed firstly it was scheduled at events that catered for a disproportionally large number of visitors attending Brighouse 40 Weekend at events and was not predominantly aimed at local people.
Secondly I have requested that Helen Rhodes be withdrawn from the process due to a significant conflict of interest which is currently with the CEO at the moment and involves vested interest
Thirdly as indicated the Council are approaching private land owners outside the consultative process and enterring into a series of negotiations outside the any consultative outcome thereby making a shambles of a consultative process which in fact Helen Rhodes refused to engage in
Fourthly some of the material facts being presented where incorrect if not misleading and does not reflect the current position of conservation management of a local nature reserve or any vulnerable groups using the reserve as a result of previous funding bids namely , blind disabled, elderly or Schools
Fifthly, given it is Ms Rhodes field of expertise , the questionairre was not a validated piece of work which could in any way be taken as serious in so far its structure presentation was biassed and prejudiced in its outcome
Sixth Given the Publics lack of scrutiny it is likely that such statistics would be presented to Cabinet in such a way to be a fore gone conclusion
Seventh The Nature reserve due to its popularity is being used as a primer to justify other elements of master planning without due regard to the authorities lawful obligations ( NERC ACT 2006 )
Eight Images and information relating to North Loop are not that, North Loop is NOT a former Landfill Site , it remains a Closed Landfill Site Regulated Under Licence by the environment Agency in the process of remediation until such times as the EA satisified that remediation is complete . The consequence of promoting it at such a juncture is resulting in the puiblic accessing the site through perimeter breeches such to constitute a position of endangerment
Nine Nowhere is there a clear aspiration to nominate North Loop as a LNR Local Nature Reserve which is deliberately not being dealt with advice from Natural England is clear there does not have to be substantive biodiversity or for that matter public access for the process to be begun simply a management plan and aspiration from the local land owner. There are a number of environmnetal issues which bring the impartiality of councils Biodiversity remit into question . I express concerns that there appears to be a stong dictat derived from the Councils Communities from senior management Directorate bordering on what might be perceived as bullying
Ten The authorities view is increasingly to turn this land foot print into a cash cow to the exclusion of conservation groups and ultimately to the Public who will pay for car parking , and services already paid for within the council
Eleven As a conservation group engaging in access for the disabled and with a membership reflecting the same the Councils position in failing to provide FEET equivalent structures on the reserve as accorded with other stake holder groups as concerning and outside the equality act
Twelve In relation to data if any group or otherwise is interested in processing or qualifying the statistical basis or interpretation of the same them it should be readily available there are clear implications in terms of Freedom of Information and Data. Given the Councils model contained a significant portion of Lower Valley other than the Nature reserve there is substantial concern that such informtion will be incorrectly applied to any Master Planning or Cabinet Decision Making inappropriately
Thirteen There is now evidence that the Council are as initially identified approaching land owners to offer financial inducements outside the proces . so if you think you consulattion counted think again . It is very likely given that such activities remain unsanctioned by cabinet , after all its your money, that such officers are acting ultra vires , being their powers
There is an overwhelming view that the beauty of this natures reserve is best managed by leaving it alone. If you are in agreement This is best brought accross by sending a clear message to the council
Petition
Having read this post What are YOUR views there is a POLL on the RIGHT seeking your assessme
Petition
Jux-Ta-Posing !
Such vital work is not assisted by CBWG misdirecting Links to their own Blog or referrences by HSS to CBWG Blog as the Official Blog there is no Official Blog per se for CB This is not clever just a process of individuals juxtaposing and excluding input of others .. For avoidance of doubt and clarity There are however two Primary Blogs run by two parity stakeholder groups Freshwater Environment Ecology Trust and CBWG which differ and contribute to the Nature Reserve in different ways and increasingly its future
For More Information on FEET and the work we undertake please vist the link . Thank You.
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