More than 70 objections lead to cancellation of expansion at West Stow caravan site
Plans for a controversial 180-pitch caravan and camping site at West Stow Country Park, home of a popular Anglo Saxon village, have been cancelled due to outrage at its inevitable environmental impact.
The original plans for the caravan site were well received by St. Edmundsbury Borough Council as the expansion of West Stow Country Park would drastically increase the income and popularity of the area. However, with its subsequent effects on wildlife and foliage, more than 70 objections have been issued.
The plans may still go ahead eventually though, following a spokesperson for St Edmundsbury Borough Council stating that the application has only been temporarily withdrawn due to some extra work being needed to fully understand the environmental impact of the expansion.
Bounded on three sides by Breckland’s Special Protection Area (SPA) and Breckland Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the are offers oustanding beauty, which many locals feel would be spoiled by the expansion.
Amongst those who raised concern, Natural England have hit back, suggesting further evaluation of how the council intend to protect the park’s rare plants, such as blue fescue ‘Festuca longifolia’ and the Dittander ‘Lepidium latifolium’, is needed.
Of the decision to delay expansion, the council’s commercial manager, Richard Hartley, explained: “In view of Natural England’s comments, the application is withdrawn with a view to resubmitting when we have a scheme that resolves all the issues.”
The creator of Fullers Mill Garden at West Stow, Bernard Tickner, expressed his worry for the “unusual collection of wildlife” at the park, as he feels as though the potential noise caused by the construction and existence of the caravan site could scare animals away. In fact, he wants the council to completely abandon the plans.
“I think it’s absurd for the council to apply in the first place. It’s in a special protection area of the Brecks,” Tickner said, after the withdrawal of the application.
Conservation planner at the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, James Meyer, agreed with Tickner, saying: “We maintain our opinion that the application fails to demonstrate that the proposed development would not result in an adverse impact on designated sites and protected species.”
Meyer went on to explain that the land intended to become the new caravan site is semi-natural grassland within a rural landscape of forest and agricultural land, as well as wetland grounds, so the expansion of the park would have serious repercussions on the semi-natural habit of many of the local species.
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