This is an important moment for our campaign. Please come to a meeting on Wednesday 11th December at 7.00pm at Little Coxwell Village Hall. NO leaflets are involved (I promise!) but YOUR HELP is needed!
Residents from FARINGDON and the Western Vale villages, FERNHAM, THE COXWELLS, UFFINGTON AND LONGCOT are particularly requested to assist- but ALL supporters are equally welcome!
Since the last consultation closed, excellent responses from Parish Councils, BBOWT, the (redacted) public and members of the academic science community- including the Palaeontological Association - have been posted on the planning application website. You can read them here: https://myeplanning.oxfordshire.gov.uk/Planning/Display/MW.0151/23/#undefined
Below are some key points.
WICKLESHAM’S BIODIVERSITY: THE NEWTS FIGHT BACK
BBOWT (Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust) has repeatedly objected to the applicants’ flawed assessments, pointing out that the ‘biodiversity baseline’ in law is the Restoration Scheme itself- NOT the ‘restoration as carried out’ that the County Council eventually passed in 2019 - after years of ineffective enforcement of Wicklesham’s planning conditions. The Restoration Scheme includes two ponds - breeding habitats of Great Crested Newts, a European Protected Species.* These ponds were destroyed in 2016 under the radar of Natural England when no Mitigation Licence had been applied for, before a Breach of Conditions Notice was eventually served. However, the ponds were never reinstated. (See 2019 update here: https://www.change.org/p/the-vale-of-white-horse-district-council-and-secretary-of-state-michael-gove-protect-wicklesham-quarry-from-development/u/24681180
After several futile attempts to argue the point with BBOWT Public Affairs and Planning Officer, Nicky Warden, the applicants had little alternative but to agree to restore the two ponds.
We have recently passed new photographic evidence of Wicklesham’s resilient newt population- including the Great Crested Newts, to the County Council’s Biodiversity Officer and to BBOWT. We believe that the restoration of the ponds- a Priority Habitat – should be carried out without delay. RIGHT NOW would be a good time to start!
This new admission of the importance of Wicklesham Quarry for biodiversity, under the welcome scrutiny of BBOWT, is a further demonstration that the SSSI quarry is UNSUITABLE for industrial/ commercial development. Wicklesham Quarry is part of West Oxfordshire Heights Conservation Target Area (CTA). CTAs are the key focus of Biodiversity Action Plans for restoring Priority Habitats and Species and creating ecological networks, in order to meet the UK's targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Core Policy 46 of the Local Plan 2031 states:
“Opportunities for biodiversity gain, including the connection of sites, large-scale habitat restoration, enhancement and habitat re-creation will be actively sought, with a primary focus on delivery in the Conservation Target Areas.” And: -
“The highest level of protection will be given to sites and species of international nature conservation importance (Special Areas of Conservation and European Protected Species).”
THANK YOU BBOWT! FOR HELPING TO OBTAIN RECOGNITION FOR WICKLESHAM’S PRIORITY HABITAT AND EUROPEAN PROTECTED SPECIES!
EARTH SCIENTISTS - & A UNESCO ADVISER ON GEOHERITAGE- SPEAK OUT TO PROTECT WICKLESHAM QUARRY SSSI
The Palaeontological Association, “one of the world's leading learned societies in palaeontology”, has strenuously objected to the planning application, stating that “new permanent structures would prevent access to the quarry base and effectively put an end to any future research, teaching, and educational use.” They “strongly urge” Oxfordshire County Council to reject the planning application, stating “There is much to learn about this unique locality.”
A redacted respondent suggests academic earth science stakeholders should be consulted on any proposals, and another objector points to a new scientific paper on the Faringdon Sponge Gravels in the Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association, as evidence of Wicklesham Quarry’s continuing importance for research.
An Emeritus Professor of Geoconservation and adviser to UNESCO has also voiced opposition to the proposed development, and suggested that the importance of Wicklesham Quarry in the development of the science of geology means that the SSSI should be seen in “a wider cultural context – a geoheritage one.” This respondent proposes that “an independent review” should be carried out.
For local people who have sought to Protect Wicklesham Quarry from Development on the grounds of its “outstanding scientific importance”- and who are now supported by the Palaeontological Society and a UNESCO adviser on geoheritage – these ringing endorsements are just recognition of what we have said for the past ten years. THANK YOU TO THE EARTH SCIENCE COMMUNITY!
TVERC (the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre) also describes Wicklesham Quarry as “the most important educational site in Oxfordshire”.
In December 2023 Natural England advised that “a more detailed assessment of the geodiversity present on the site and its conservation be undertaken”. That has never happened. Instead, a demonstrably flawed and inaccurate report was written on behalf of the applicant by Oxfordshire Geological Trust, who openly declare their support for the landowner on whom they depend for access to Wicklesham Quarry's fossils. You can read the June 2024 update on this report here: https://www.change.org/p/the-vale-of-white-horse-district-council-and-secretary-of-state-michael-gove-protect-wicklesham-quarry-from-development/u/32660850
As leading scientists queue up to voice their opposition to the plan to build on Wicklesham’s exceptional Site of Special Scientific Interest, we believe that any plan to build on the SSSI MUST BE REJECTED.
TIME IS MOVING ON… BUT THERE IS STILL NO PLANNING COMMITTEE DATE
Head of Strategic Planning Nicholas Perrins has failed to respond to my email (17 October) asking how many amendments and repeated consultations the County Council intends to permit, as members of the public increasingly lose confidence in the planning system.# Since planning application MW.0151/23 was submitted over a year ago, the applicants have ignored all the principal areas of objection- including the flawed principle of development, the loss of the Site of Special Scientific Interest, and harm to the landscape of the Midvale Ridge – because there is nothing they can do to remove or alleviate them. Their proposals to mitigate the impacts of their proposal on the local area - including the over-burdened road and junction network - are negligible. We believe there is no justification for any further delay.
# Since Director of Planning Rachel Wileman recently left her job, it appears that the County Council’s responsibility to answer public inquiries is simply being ignored. Chief Executive Martin Reeves has also failed to respond to public concerns.
NEXT STEPS
Wicklesham supporters remain as alert as ever to legitimate objections to this proposal ON ALL POSSIBLE GROUNDS. PLEASE COME ALONG ON 11th DECEMBER TO HEAR MORE NEWS AND FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN HELP.
Wicklesham Quarry SSSI needs ALL its friends- naturalists, ecologists, transport analysts, geologists, palaeontologists, economists and planners – as well as ALL local residents in Faringdon and the Western Vale who love the landscape of Wicklesham, Ringdale and the Midvale Ridge, and Faringdon’s outstanding, internationally important environmental site- WICKLESHAM QUARRY SSSI!
Please get in touch by email with any queries or comments to: protectwicklesham@gmail.com
*The ponds were photographed and documented in 2013 by Enzygo Ltd, whose report formed part of the planning conditions. Please drop me an email if you would like me to send you this report as a pdf file.