Over the past year, the land at Damask Way development site has been left ungrazed and unmown and as a result it has now become what could be referred to as a traditional wildflower meadow, with many native perennial species supporting local wildlife.

Some species of native wildflower can support several hundred different insect species and attract native bee species, providing a vital nectar source for them. 

How ironic then, that the meadow sits within the Wiltshire B-lines which has been set up to give practical support to the Government Pollinator Strategy. To fail to recognise this would be a travesty and fly in the face of the current biodiversity crisis.

Read about Wiltshire B -lines and see a map of the routes in Wiltshire in the link below.

B- lines will put a buzz back into Wiltshire's towns and countryside

The developer has continually painted a poor picture of the meadow/land at Damask Way,  including the precious views that the people of Warminster have enjoyed for centuries .

Falsely describing the land as poor and of little value from the outset has made it possible for the developer to demonstrate that potential improvements to the biodiversity could be made. 

The outline stage was passed on the basis of either scant or misleading biological information. 

However, if this area had been surveyed thoroughly and at the correct time, then the true picture of the abundant diversity at this site would have been known from the outset. 

Now we are set to lose what is there!

Sustainable Warminster have commissioned several ecological surveys over the past few years without which the true picture of the biodiversity at this site would not have been known.

A botanical survey identified a small but extremely diverse parcel of lowland acid grassland at the site. According to Wiltshire Council this is a rare priority habitat amounting to just 50m2 in the entire county.  The area at Damask Way could potentially double the known amount of acid grassland in the county!  Precious and rare habitat must be protected and saved from the disturbance of development.

Please to comment on the application here, on the Wiltshire Planning Portal

Sustainable Warminster will  be presenting two other petitions to Wiltshire Council in February. We hope this will push Wiltshire Council to commit to improving and conserving biodiversity in the county and work towards tackling the climate emergency.

Please sign these two petitions to show you want the Council to put their words into action!

CALL FOR WILTSHIRE COUNCIL TO DEVELOP AN URGENT POLLINATOR ACTION PLAN

CALL FOR WILTSHIRE COUNCIL TO DOUBLE TREE COVER IN WILTSHIRE BY 2045