Alison Fure is a professional ecologist, licensed to work with protected species, and a resident of the Royal Borough. Here is what Alison says:

"The recommendations contained in the Assembly policy documents, especially  the London Assembly Housing Committee 2017 publication on ‘Encouraging biodiversity in new developments' have been overlooked in our borough as there has been a presumption in favour of development before we have been ratified as an Opportunity Area in the London Plan. This is insofar as:

• we are intensifying new development in Areas of Deficiency, as recognised by the former London Ecology Unit;
• we no longer have an SLA agreement with GIGL;
• many of our newest developments are ‘total footprint developments’;
• we have not provided habitat for Section 41 species under the NERC such as house sparrows where they were previously known;
• we do not enforce planning recommendations for bat surveys on high potential buildings about to be demolished (I.e. those that were built before 1930 and are near good habitat and where surveys have concluded that a survey is required);
• we do not investigate sites with European protected species, and two of the Mayors Priority habitats, which are cleared by machinery where reptile fencing has not been provided even though this was a recommendation in consultants reports; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huuanu8GSu4
• we are a borough prone to flooding and Zone 3 b has been extended in recent years (which hasn’t prevented the proposal for an Opportunity area of 6,000 homes) [and two major sewage spills due to lack of capacity and equipment failure];
• we use attenuation tanks rather than SUDs even where there is ample room.