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Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits Development Inquiry - the latest (11th Oct)
Graham White reports from the lates meeting to discuss plans at Tyttenhanger.
On 10 October a meeting was held at County Hall to discuss the restoration scheme for Tyttenhanger gravel pit. Officers from the county minerals department were present, along with representatives from Lafarge Redland, Herts Bird Club (Jim Terry), Herts Biological Records Centre (Trevor James) and the Wildlife Trust (Graham White).
The meeting was very constructive and a broad scheme of restoration was agreed. Lafarge Redland were keen to achieve a high quality restoration for wildlife and have considerable experience of developing similar sites. Key issues that arose were as follows:
A permissive path would provide views over the restored area. A hide may be provided. The views and support of the landowner and Mr Leggerton are clearly very important. However, the scheme could only be achieved if the Planning Inspector approved the removal of the bridleway bank.
Timing is critical, ensuring that the bank is removed before Sand Martins return to breed. An alternative bank could be provided but all agreed that the conditions required by Sand Martins are exacting and what may look good to the human eye may fail to impress the birds. Equally, it should be recognised that the existing bank will inevitably deteriorate and become unsuitable. If the application to remove the bank is approved, work is likely to start next spring. The water would need to be removed from the pits and there would be considerable disruption as the restoration proceeded in phases.
Further meetings will be held if and when the restoration gets under way.
Graham White
4-5th October...Developments at the pits in the past week require another update.
The major event has been that Lafarge/Redland have broken through the causeway. During last week, water was being pumped from the West to the East pit through a huge gap in the middle. On Saturday 30th when I visited I could see that 100 yards have been removed, but that the very centre of this area (presumably where the pumping operation had been) had been refilled to about half the original height.
Quite why this happened no one yet knows. The Herts CC Planning Department were not aware of it until Jim Terry of the Herts Bird Club informed them. The case officer for Tyttenhanger decided to go to the pits and see for himself, and then talk to the 'Rights of Way' section in the Planning Department before making any comment [See comments below - GW].
I suspect that Lafarge/Redland's actions might be on Health & Safety grounds, ie: the causeway was unsafe because of erosion to the banks. Nevertheless, to do it in the very month of the Inquiry shows scant regard for the due process of law, local opinion or that of the objectors. I am surprised that they have jumped the gun in this way, because I believe they would have been given permission to move the bridle way and extract the causeway anyway at the Inquiry. Having waited for years to get permission, another month would not have made much difference. Not good PR at all!
There have been other suggestions put forward in the past. The original permission to extract gravel granted years ago required the fields to be restored to agricultural use. But with farming requiring fewer acres these days Lafarge/Redland managed to get this requirement changed and have got planning permission to reinstate the pits for boating use. The probable reason that this has not been implemented is because the pits will not hold enough water for this to be viable. (They dug too deep when extracting the pits and pierced the impermeable layer below the gravel.)
On a positive note, Lafarge/Redland, have now changed their mind and have submitted a wildlife friendly restoration plan after extraction. This has been returned for some adjustments to be made and, once done, the Planning Officer, plans to sign it off as a formally approved scheme, which is enforceable, and whose progress will be monitored by the appropriate department of The Herts CC.
Further good news is that, The Herts CC are putting together a 'Steering Committee' to oversee the restoration after extraction, involving representatives from Lafarge/Redland, the HMWT, the Herts Bird Club and Mr Trevor James of Herts CC the author of the original report on the restoration of the site. This is the best news to date, and I believe the future of the pits would be safe in their hands.
All of which makes the breaking of the causeway at this particular juncture very strange indeed.
Update 5-Oct....The Case Officer for Tyttenhanger at Herts CC reports as follows:-
He has been to the site and met with the site manager for Lafarge/Redland.
The causeway has been cut through to lay a pipe so that the water level in the south-east pit can be lowered. A dam has also been created across the narrow part of this pit from the causeway to the old spoil mounds to the south, (where the narrow channel was on the western side), thus cutting it in two.
Lafarge explain that there has been no mineral extraction. Which rather misses the point.
They accept that their timing could have been a little better and that the whole matter is a bit of a PR disaster for them. I am a little sceptical of this, as public opinion has not bothered them in the past. I believe this was a cynical exercise in pursuing their own agenda. Will they restore the causeway just to break it down again, if they get permission to move it? Somehow I doubt it.
The old Lafarge/Redland site manager has recently retired and a new man, Rick Lewis has arrived.
There will be a meeting at Herts CC in the week commencing Monday 9th October to discuss all these issues which Lafarge/Redland will attend. So a good opportunity exists to create a new relationship.
I was very pleased to hear a very strong statement from the Planning Office of their intention to see the restoration of the pits through to a satisfactory, wildlife friendly, conclusion.
I also learned that the Planning Office are aware of the Herts Bird Club Website and the postings that have appeared here. There are birders in County Hall!
Anybody who wishes to know more can contact me on:- robin.morden@granadafoodservices.co.uk
Robin Morden
Update from September...Robin Morden continues to feed back information from the Tyttenhanger Inquiry and we are very grateful to him for keeping us up to date. He writes:
As you are probably aware the Public Inquiry on moving of the Bridleway at Tyttenhanger is now set for:-
10.00 am Tuesday 31st October 2000
The Morris Pavilion
White Horse Lane
London Colney
All those with an interest can attend to make their case. I'm told the Pavilion will hold about 25 - 30 people. None of the original Objectors have withdrawn their objections.
Strong opinion has been expressed that the inspector may not permit discussion on anything other than strict 'Rights of way' issues. He certainly has that power. He can also override the objections lodged by Herts birders, (still on file), if he feels that they are not pertinent. In fact he/she can do pretty much as they please.
In another letter from the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol they confirm "The Inspector will be open to any alternative proposals that you put forward at the Inquiry, what weight the Inspector will give them will be a matter purely for him to consider."
I interpret that as saying that Objectors will be given the opportunity to state their case.
They also suggest that Objectors advise the Bristol office of the main points of their arguments, which will be brought to the Inspectors attention. They also suggest that if there are several objections in a similar vein, that a spokesperson be elected.
I intend to contact the other Objectors and canvass opinion as to what, if anything, they want to do.
Robin contacted me at the website after submitting his update with further news provided by Graham White. Graham says: "The Conservation Commitee authorised me to work with appropriate partners to try and seek a favourable outcome at Tyttenhanger. I have discussed this with the Biological Records Centre. This week I spoke to the planning officer and a meeting has been set up (first week in Oct) in order to discuss the over-seeing of the proposed scheme. I understand that the Bird Club will also be invited. On my last visit to Tyttenhanger I noticed that the bridleway had been broken."
Obviously the bridleway is the main access point to view the scrape area, perhaps the best part of the site for waders. Watch this space for further news about the inquiry.
PORTUGAL TRIP REPORT 4-11th June 2000
David Harris, Roger Short, Jack Fearnside, Gary Elton
ITINERARY
Sunday, 4th June Flew from Heathrow to Lisbon airport, where we met Mike who gave us a selection of cempa rings to use for the week. We then collected our hire cars and arrived at Sto Andre at 1800 hrs. We set and furled the nets in the reedbed at Lautro end ready for the morning.SPECIES LIST
Great Crested Grebe-6 birds were seen on the lake near Castro Verde on 7th.Gary Elton
Development at Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits - the inquiry...update from September
Following on from his article last month, Robin Morden provides the latest from the Tyttenhanger inquiry. He writes: I went to the AGM of the HMWT and brought up the subject of developments at Tyttenhanger as an AOB. As I consequence I was invited to address the Conservation & Scientific Committee, their most influential internal policy making committee, which I did on July 7th.
This is extracted from the letter Robin addressed to the committee.
Many thanks for giving me the opportunity to address the Conservation & Scientific Committee on July 6th last. This is the very body which, in my view, is best placed to bring maximum beneficial pressure on the various authorities on this matter.
As agreed at that time I list below the propositions that I would like the Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust (HMWT) to consider.
1). The HMWT should be represented at the Inquiry when it eventually takes place. Even thought there is some opinion that it is to be limited to 'Rights of Way' issues, I do not agree with that opinion. My objection was on the grounds of the 'loss of habitat' issue and I have been advised of my right to attend, as I presume have the other 'birding' objectors. I am sure the 'conservation' and 'loss of amenity' issues will be up for debate. I certainly plan to be present. Volunteer observers, perhaps, could attend at the Inquiry and alert the Trust's Professional Officers when issues arise, to avoid them spending time waiting to be called.
2) The HMWT should offer itself to the Inspector as the obvious local body, with the appropriate credentials, to make 'expert' comment and offer practical advice on local conservation issues. There must be some excellent public relations benefit here for the Trust
3) If we assume that permission to move the bridle way will be granted, then Lafarge/Redlands will be free to go ahead with the extraction of the causeway. In that case the HMWT should offer itself to the Inspector as the appropriate body to carry out a watching brief on the quality and completeness of the restoration to be carried out by Lafarge/Redlands after extraction, and to 'sign it off' once done. More excellent PR for the Trust.
4) The HMWT to consider if there is any way that Tyttenhanger could become a reserve under its management, to ensure it has a future. Admittedly the status of the pits is a bit of a minefield with at least four groups having an interest. ie: the landowner, the tenant farmer, the owners of the mineral rights, and the owner of the shooting rights. The birders are a fifth group and the public are a poor sixth at the moment. Some better status, perhaps within the control of the Trust has to be a better option than its present circumstances.
5) Could we please have an article in 'Wildlife Maters' to bring the whole issue to a wider public audience.
I do hope the committee will give serious consideration to these issues. I know that cost and the availability of scarce resources will determine what can be done. Nevertheless this has to be one of the most important conservation issues in Hertfordshire at the moment and the Trust has to be involved.
Robin will be updating us further as the inquiry continues and our thanks go to him for his involvement in this important issue.
Any questions or comments can be emailed to Robin direct at robin.morden@granadafoodservices.co.uk.