Plans submitted for nature reserve

Tophill Low Nature Reserve, at Hutton Cranswick, has applied for planning permission to build a new bird-hide, education room and a number of other facilities.

The new structures are designed to help the reserve cope with an expected influx of thousands of new twitchers and nature-lovers alike, who are hoped to flock to the site over the coming years.

A planning and access statement submitted on behalf of Yorkshire Water, which owns and manages Tophill Low, read: “Visitor numbers are currently 10,000 (per year) and are projected to rise to 15,000 in 2020 averaging 50 to 60 visitors per weekend.

“The new bird hide will act as a new modern facility that will provide 24-hour access to members and great visitors across D reservoir for the paying public.”The bird hide will be open during office hours with the warden located in a new reception building at the entrance to the site.

Yorkshire Water also want to improve the car park as well as disabled parking at the site, as well introduce a number of new woodland walks.

The statement continued: “They will be routed to provide a better visitor flow reducing conflict in site usage, improving reception experience and maximising income.”

And a set of new wildlife ponds will also be excavated in order to attract more animals to the nature reserve.

Work to refurbish the site’s welfare building has already taken place, which saw the conversion of part of an existing garage building to form the welfare facilities.

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has supported the application which has been submitted to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council.