Endangered bird boost to campaign to save greenfield

Plans for Yorkshire Energy Park are being opposed by hundreds of people in Hedon and the surrounding area, who are determined to protect the greenfield site, the last remaining barrier between the town and Hull.

The proposals include a gas-fired energy centre and data centre, as well as an education campus, warehousing, research and development and on-site residential accommodation.

Developers claim it could create as many as 1,000 jobs and major companies including E.ON, IBM, and Vodafone have expressed their support.

But now both Natural England and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust have raised objections because of its impact on more than 200 curlews, the largest European wading birds, whose numbers are in sharp decline.

In a 17-page letter, YWT said over eight per cent of the Humber’s entire population of curlews forage on the fields - “a regionally important area of grassland habitat” - in winter.

But despite mitigation, half the site - designated a “key open area” will be lost to development. YWT calculates that just over a hectare of land would remain free of any human disturbance.

And they recommend that the scheme is refused “due to net losses in curlew habitat, which at present has not been successfully mitigated or compensated for.”

YWT also expresses concern about the loss of habitat for ground nesting birds including skylark, meadow pipit and corn bunting and says steps to protect bats from floodlighting and other disturbance are “insufficient.”

Natural England came to similar conclusions, saying despite measures taken by the developers it was unlikely the site would be able to support “large numbers of curlew as it does currently.”

ABP has withdrawn its objection, but flagged up the availability of the 453 acre adjacent Hedon Haven site, now renamed Humber International Enterprise Park.

East Riding councillor John Dennis, who led a campaign in 201 that won a resounding “no” vote to Hull’s expansion into the East Riding, said the objections were “great news.”

He said: “Birds and bees matter a lot. Associated British Ports has land over the road, virtually within throwing distance, which is in the Local Plan as development land, so why would the East Riding want to release another 200 acres when they are already catered for on ABP’s land?”

Other concerns include extra traffic choking local roads, the impact of concreting over a natural floodplain and concerns over “overbearing” buildings up to eight-storeys high at the entrance to the site close to the Saltend roundabout.