Bicester resident Claire Brenner has published a new video setting out what she says are significant gaps in the ecological evidence supporting the Government’s plans for an asylum accommodation centre at MOD Site A.
In the video, Claire explains how she obtained local wildlife records herself after reviewing the ecological report submitted as part of the planning application.
That report states that there are “no records” of several protected species in the surrounding area. However, the records Claire obtained appear to paint a very different picture.
According to the data she has reviewed, records in and around the site include:
- A breeding population of great crested newts
- An otter
- Badgers
- 12 different species of bat
- Nightingales, which have returned to the area following conservation work carried out by the MOD
Great crested newts and all UK bat species receive strict legal protection, meaning their presence can have important implications for development, surveys, mitigation and licensing.
Claire argues that the apparent discrepancy between the ecological report and existing wildlife records raises serious questions about whether the environmental impact of the development has been properly assessed.
In her video, she also explains why further ecological work and potentially protected-species licences may be required before development could lawfully proceed.
Watch Claire’s full video below:
The issues raised by Claire reinforce why it is so important that the MOD Site A proposal receives proper scrutiny before any decision is made.
Whatever your wider views on asylum policy, a development of this scale should be assessed using complete and accurate environmental evidence.
Objection deadline: 17 September
There is still time to make your views known.
The current deadline for objections is Thursday 17 September, and we would encourage anyone who shares concerns about the ecological evidence, infrastructure, safety or suitability of the site to submit an objection.
Every objection helps ensure that the concerns of Bicester residents are formally considered before a decision is made.
