West Pennine Moors plan criticised by Lancashire Wildlife Trust

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is concerned that the development of the derelict Springside Works mill site, in Belmont, will have a damaging effect on its Longworth Clough nature reserve and the creatures and plants that live there.

Developers Urban Springside Ltd have brought forward the plans to develop the Springside Works site.

Longworth Clough

In a letter to Blackburn with Darwen Council, trust conservation officer David Dunlop, stressed his fears over disturbance to many species of birds at the area, which is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI).

He said: “Woodcock is most at risk from disturbance associated with the development proposed, being a ground-nesting species.

"However, a significant increase in recreational disturbance could affect other key species, notably willow tit, pied flycatcher, redstart, green woodpecker, dipper, kingfisher, grey wagtail, sparrowhawk, buzzard, tawny owl and lesser redpoll.

“There is also a rich assemblage of other woodland breeding birds like nuthatch, great spotted woodpecker, garden warbler and blackcap.

"And barn owl, raven, kestrel, pied wagtail and stock dove have all been recorded.”

There would also be an impact on foraging and migrating of frogs, toads and newts.

The trust is particularly worried that the development does not take into account biodiversity net gain where developers agree to make areas at least 10 per cent better for wildlife than before the building took place.

The 100 square miles of the West Pennine Moors is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, giving it protections against some development.

The developer has suggested providing leaflets about the importance of wildlife in the area to home-owners, but Wildlife Trust officers do not think this would have any useful effect.

Mr Dunlop said a huge increase in housing would also lead to an increase in people using these areas and in pets.

He said: “Disturbance by dogs – on and especially off lead – is likely to have serious impacts on breeding birds around the application site, particularly discouraging successful breeding and feeding, and on bird species that nest on the ground or in low shrubs; and cats are beyond anyone’s control.”

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s position is that the plan should not go ahead unless there is a full breeding bird and botanical survey of the site and potentially affected areas surrounding it.

The trust said the above surveys should inform a revised Ecological Survey and Assessment with mitigation and compensation proposals for habitats and species.

Head of campaigns at the trust, Alan Wright, said: “Longworth Clough is a remarkable nature reserve where nature has returned where industry once reigned.

"Now we fear that all the amazing wildlife that inhabits that reserve will be evicted if a housing development of this size is allowed here.

“The West Pennine Moors is such an important area for wildlife and for people and a development of this size would cause irreparable damage.”

A spokesperson for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council said: “The formal planning application is currently being considered by BwD, and the concerns and objections raised by Lancashire Wildlife Trust will be fully considered during the assessment of the application.”