Badgers could delay Dry Street plans

1:30pm Thursday 14th February 2013 in Local News By Jon Austin

Frank Last has called for answers from the council Frank Last has called for answers from the council

BADGERS could scupper controversdial plans to develop hundreds of homes on Dry Street, the Echo can reveal.

Councillors will soon vote over a joint application from Basildon Council, the Homes and Communities Agency and South Essex College for a 725-home development across the current campus and beauty spot, to fund a £35million new college in Basildon town centre.

However, the Echo has discovered that a survey of badger populations across the site, which highlights that an ancient badger set will have to be destroyed to make way for the houses, shops and primary school, has been kept hidden from members who will make the decision and during a public consultation.

The council initially told the Echo the report was confidential because legislation designed to conceal the location of badger sets to protect them from badger baiters prevented its release.

Campaigners are now calling for the urgent release of the report before plans are agreed.

Frank Last chairman of the Essex Badger Protection Group said: “I have a lot of experience with these applications and in my experience no other council has kept them secret. Badgers can impact the size a development can be and in this case one of the sets is in the middle of the site and would have to be destroyed.”

Comments (9)

1:46pm Thu 14 Feb 13

Dan_ says...

I like badgers. Probably one of our best animals.

Well done Frank.
I like badgers. Probably one of our best animals. Well done Frank. Dan_

3:02pm Thu 14 Feb 13

howironic says...

"controversdial"

Has Rich~Carol ritten this
"controversdial" Has Rich~Carol ritten this howironic

4:21pm Thu 14 Feb 13

Cosmo Spring says...

Basildon Council have a long historic disregard of protected/endangered species and their habitats dating right back to the sixties.

Don't expect a few badgers to stand in their way
Basildon Council have a long historic disregard of protected/endangered species and their habitats dating right back to the sixties. Don't expect a few badgers to stand in their way Cosmo Spring

4:25pm Thu 14 Feb 13

victoriaavenue says...

I have recently launched a petition, helped with advice from both the CPRE and the Soil Association, called Safeguard our Soils, Mr. Pickles!

Why is it possible for developers to build on our 'Best and Most Versatile agricultural land (BMV)' - because it's land that will never feed another mouth again.

The answer's in my petition, which I hope you'll sign -- it's called: Safeguard our Soils, Mr. Pickles!

Please read more about it, sign here and pass on:
http://www.avaaz.org
/en/petition/Safegua
rd_our_Soils_Mr_Pick
les/?launch
I have recently launched a petition, helped with advice from both the CPRE and the Soil Association, called Safeguard our Soils, Mr. Pickles! Why is it possible for developers to build on our 'Best and Most Versatile agricultural land (BMV)' - because it's land that will never feed another mouth again. The answer's in my petition, which I hope you'll sign -- it's called: Safeguard our Soils, Mr. Pickles! Please read more about it, sign here and pass on: http://www.avaaz.org /en/petition/Safegua rd_our_Soils_Mr_Pick les/?launch victoriaavenue

7:17pm Thu 14 Feb 13

barneydrop says...

Councillors will not think twice about the habitat of the badgers once they are offered fantastic incentives (money, free holidays etc) from the builders and developers involved. Everybody knows what scum councillors are and are only interested in feathering their own nest.
Councillors will not think twice about the habitat of the badgers once they are offered fantastic incentives (money, free holidays etc) from the builders and developers involved. Everybody knows what scum councillors are and are only interested in feathering their own nest. barneydrop

7:47pm Thu 14 Feb 13

Thomo100 says...

OK...I don't know who wants to tell him but that is not a real Badger!
OK...I don't know who wants to tell him but that is not a real Badger! Thomo100

8:43pm Thu 14 Feb 13

TheWizzard says...

Cosmo Spring wrote:
Basildon Council have a long historic disregard of protected/endangered species and their habitats dating right back to the sixties.

Don't expect a few badgers to stand in their way
Did the same at gloucester park where bats are protected
[quote][p][bold]Cosmo Spring[/bold] wrote: Basildon Council have a long historic disregard of protected/endangered species and their habitats dating right back to the sixties. Don't expect a few badgers to stand in their way[/p][/quote]Did the same at gloucester park where bats are protected TheWizzard

4:22am Fri 15 Feb 13

ChampKind says...

All we need now is for a badger splinter to group to attack the developers and councillors involved !
All we need now is for a badger splinter to group to attack the developers and councillors involved ! ChampKind

9:43am Fri 15 Feb 13

Cosmo Spring says...

TheWizzard wrote:
Cosmo Spring wrote:
Basildon Council have a long historic disregard of protected/endangered species and their habitats dating right back to the sixties.

Don't expect a few badgers to stand in their way
Did the same at gloucester park where bats are protected
years ago, when they 'sanitised' the area to the east of the main bulk of the park and south of Sharpeville Hills leading towards the square pond, they systematically destroyed acres of habitat that supported great crested newts and many other species including grass snakes, lizards and butterflies.
[quote][p][bold]TheWizzard[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Cosmo Spring[/bold] wrote: Basildon Council have a long historic disregard of protected/endangered species and their habitats dating right back to the sixties. Don't expect a few badgers to stand in their way[/p][/quote]Did the same at gloucester park where bats are protected[/p][/quote]years ago, when they 'sanitised' the area to the east of the main bulk of the park and south of Sharpeville Hills leading towards the square pond, they systematically destroyed acres of habitat that supported great crested newts and many other species including grass snakes, lizards and butterflies. Cosmo Spring

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