TWO new “mini” nature reserves could be established in Lichfield and Burntwood in an attempt to increase and replace biodiversity lost due to housing developments.
The plans are set to be presented to cabinet members next week for final approval.
The nature reserves are set to be established in Beacon Park in Lichfield and Redwood Park in Burntwood.
The council is intending to enter into a management agreement with the council’s wholly-owned company Lichfield West Midlands Traded Services or lease the land for 40 years.
The same company will be responsible for the long-term maintenance of the site including weeding, litter picking and any remedial works.
The mini nature reserve is part of the Lichfield District 2050 plan in which one of the four priority areas is green communities.
The reserve at Beacon Park will utilise the unplayable section of the golf course and will have walkways to allow access, while wildflowers will be established in the grass area. Wildflowers are also planned for Redwood Park.
It comes after a recent change to the law requires that developers deliver a biodiversity net gain of 10%. Some of the time it is not possible to deliver it solely on the development site, so the nature reserves would enable developers to make “off-site contributions” in order to achieve the mandated target.
Lichfield District Council says the scheme will be cost neutral, with payments from developers for off-site biodiversity will pay for maintenance and upkeep, while equipment purchased will be made available to the local authority’s parks and ground maintenance teams.
My god I’ve heard it all now ? Developers can ruin our green belt and then plant wild flowers in our existing park to tick their biodiversity box!!! You couldn’t make it up you really couldn’t. Our council are so weak and spine less it’s a joke.
Completely agree with your comments Local Man. This council do not have any grasp of the fact that with green belt once it’s gone, that’s it, it’s gone. This on the day that another developer releasees more plans for more green belt destruction at the back of Streethay with another 550 houses. I wonder which park they intend to plant some bulbs in?
I would have to agree with Local Man on this. It’s a con. You don’t increase biodiversity by greening parks that are already green. The developers are being allowed to get away with it yet again.
Meanwhile, the Council is also planning to concrete over a green space with mature trees outside Lichfield City train station to make way for a bus station that will be a totally inadequate replacement for the far more sensible one we already have. And who’s the beneficiary of that – developers who are set to make a killing out of building luxury flats on the old bus station site!
…and let’s not even begin to discuss these Cllrs further hypocrisy and incompetence surrounding the once green space of Stychbrook Park which is now a carved up sea of mud. That alone shows how much they really care about the environment and biodiversity. Weak words and box ticking is all they know.
Bet the centre piece will be a pond created for the roll off water created by loads of new houses having tarmacked drives. Totally crazy and yet more of our money for farmed. Out services
I don’t believe it ! Is it April 1st ? Planting trees on an established public park is their idea of counter acting house building on farmland is their answer ! God help us folks welcome to the lunatic asylum? It won’t make up for all the hedges and trees lost building new houses ?
Well that’s a turn up for the books, the only money ever spent on Redwood Park has been for grass cutting, does this now mean that they won’t be cutting the grass ? More play equipment would be better and even finishing the footpaths would be a great benefit. The path from the Park through to the shop has and is still a nightmare for anyone in a mobility scooter or who has to use a walking aid. Nature reserve Bah !