Longridge Local Wildlife Site which lies on the outskirts of Knutsford and is a mosaic of oak woodland, wildflower grassland, scrub and ponds. It is a haven for wildlife with flocks of redwing, fieldfare and finches in the winter months and numerous red and amber listed breeding birds in summer including song thrush and willow warbler. Remarkably there are also three species of newt, which is extremely unusual for Cheshire.
At a recent planning inquiry following an appeal against the initial rejection, Dr Rachel Giles, Evidence and Planning Programme Manager at Cheshire Wildlife Trust, gave evidence to defend the site. Several local residents also gave moving evidence on the importance of the site to the people of Longridge, including representatives from local groups Save Longridge Greenbelt and Knutsford Residents in Over Ward.
Over the course of the two-week inquiry, the planning Inspector was presented with evidence for and against the housing development and subsequently decided in favour of it going ahead.
Dr Rachel Giles says:
“We are devastated by this decision. The site is amongst the most valuable and important sites in the county for wildlife, but the inspector has decided that the benefits of a new housing development outweigh the harm to nature. Though we advocate for nature, Cheshire Wildlife Trust is not anti-development. It is possible for housing and nature to go hand in hand and the best schemes find clever ways of avoiding the worst impacts and incorporating nature into their design. This is not the case for the Longridge development, which has hugely undervalued the habitats onsite and could have done so much more to minimise the impacts.”
“The Planning Inspector’s decision highlights that the planning system is simply not strong enough to provide protection for nature when it is most needed. It also makes it clear that our fight for nature is more necessary than ever, particularly with recent pressure on local leaders from the Government to meet housing targets.’’
‘’The decision over Longridge could have wide-reaching implications by setting a precedent for other similarly damaging applications across the country. The inspector attached ‘significant weight’ to the promise of a theoretical 12% ‘Biodiversity Net Gain’ on an unknown site elsewhere in Cheshire and this helped override local protections for wildlife. With such little respect for the environment, it is no wonder that the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. We are saddened that the original decision to refuse permission could be overruled with so little regard for the local community or the amazing wildlife found here.”
“The site at Longridge is a heritage asset for the people of Knutsford. It is thriving with wildlife and a surviving remnant of what much of the countryside would have looked and sounded like when our grandparents or great grandparents were children. If it were built heritage such as a church or historical building we wouldn’t dream of destroying it in this way, so why is our natural heritage treated so differently?”
Rachel spoke at the inquiry on behalf of, and supported by, Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s 17,600 members. The Trust have been fighting for nature’s recovery across Cheshire, Halton, Tameside, Trafford, Stockport, Warrington and Wirral for over 60 years.
You can find out more about how to speak up for nature on your doorstep on their website at cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/campaign-for-nature.