New application angers Gloucester Park lake enthusiasts

2:40pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in Echo News By Luke Lambert

Andrew Buxton at the soon to be gone lake Andrew Buxton at the soon to be gone lake

A DEVELOPER wants to change its plans for Gloucester Park lake, raising concerns over the affect on wildlife.

Barrett Homes, who are carrying out the works through a partnership with Basildon council, had planned to create a new lake before filling in the current lake.

But now they have submitted plans to fill in the current lake before making a start on the new one, using the soil from nearby house building to fill in the current lake.

This had led to concerns from campaigners that geese and swans that use the lake will be left high and dry.

Andrew Buxton, who tried to stop developers changing the park, said: “Some of the trees being taken down are decades old and to lose them is very sad. It seems to me that wildlife in the greener areas of Billericay and Wickford seems to be protected but they can’t wait to get rid of it in Basildon.

“It is very disappointing to hear that plans are changed without talk of a consultation.”

Pat Rackley, Independent Labour councillor and member of the leisure panel, said: “The original plan was the lake wasn’t going to move until the second lake was built. Now things have changed and I am very concerned about the wildlife." Malcolm Buckley, Basildon councillor for regeneration, said: “I don’t believe the wildlife is at risk. We have to do this now to ensure that birds and swans do not nest in areas that will be affected by building works over the coming months and can nest on the fishing lake or somewhere similar.”

Comments(12)

mys842 says...
3:01pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Such a shame to lose a lake, even if only temporarily. Open water and green space are so under-valued by councils!

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shallotman says...
4:09pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Now there's a surprise. And the council will let them get away with it.

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TheWizzard says...
5:20pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Malcolm Buckley, Basildon councillor for regeneration, said: “I don’t believe the wildlife is at risk. We have to do this now to ensure that birds and swans do not nest in areas that will be affected by building works over the coming months and can nest on the fishing lake or somewhere similar.

I do believe that it is a criminal offence to damage or interfere with nesting swans and as they have been there all year round it seems the council and Barratts are guilty of this. Would the RSPB actually prosecute? Would be nice to think so but just like Bats that were supposedly protected over there i have yet to see any new bat boxes put up anywhere

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Cosmo Spring says...
6:02pm Tue 5 Mar 13

too late pal, those trees are all down and it's a done deal - stop banging your head against the wall and accept that Buckley and Ball will do what they want, when and how it suits them, save your blood pressure.

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Cosmo Spring says...
6:06pm Tue 5 Mar 13

where will all the supermarket trolleys and other refuse get dumped in the interim?

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Dids says...
1:17am Wed 6 Mar 13

I thought all swans were protected by the Crown/Queen or summat.....anyone here know any more?

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southsteve says...
9:47am Wed 6 Mar 13

In the UK, all wild birds, their nests and their eggs are protected by law.

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southsteve says...
9:49am Wed 6 Mar 13

Dids wrote:
I thought all swans were protected by the Crown/Queen or summat.....anyone here know any more?
In the UK, all wild birds, their nests and their eggs are protected by law

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Cosmo Spring says...
10:46am Wed 6 Mar 13

southsteve wrote:
Dids wrote:
I thought all swans were protected by the Crown/Queen or summat.....anyone here know any more?
In the UK, all wild birds, their nests and their eggs are protected by law
when they felled the trees around the lake a fortnight ago there were no nesting swans in residence.

Bit early for the rest too

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Ian P says...
1:02pm Wed 6 Mar 13

It is not cheap to build a man made lake. Anyone bet that the secret plan is to use the available earth to fill in the existing lake and then to find every excuse under the sun not to build the replacement lake?

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Carnabackable says...
4:24pm Wed 6 Mar 13

You could go to Canvey, they have a few fields, which are now lakes...

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Cosmo Spring says...
4:45pm Wed 6 Mar 13

Ian P wrote:
It is not cheap to build a man made lake. Anyone bet that the secret plan is to use the available earth to fill in the existing lake and then to find every excuse under the sun not to build the replacement lake?
they'd have to get round quick to delete the replacement lake from the new signs they've erected showing a map of how the 'regenerated park' is going to look ....

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