RESIDENTS of Idole are up in arms about a potential camping site for RVs near the village, which they say will damage an ‘ecologically significant wetland’.
The application, which is for a change of land use from agricultural to an American Recreational Vehicle site with 27 pitches and a new road entrance, has been fiercely opposed by a number of local residents since the original plans were put forward in September last year.
These were withdrawn while certain issues were addressed, including an ecological survey. However, a spokesperson for the Idole Focus Group told The Herald that certain key concerns had not been addressed.
“Serious community concerns include safety issues on this stretch of the A484 highway, which has no lighting or pavements,” they said. “These RV vehicles are 12.8 metres long, approximately the size of a 56 seater coach, frequently towing a small car and primarily left hand drive.
“Manoeuvring these slow moving vehicles into and from the site would require them to straddle both road lanes, with inevitable congestion implications.”
While an ecological survey was completed in December 2015, at the request of the CCC ecologist, residents pointed out that this fell outside the recommended April to September time-frame.
Following multiple objections by residents, and emails and telephone calls from the Focus Group, a second Survey was requested by the County Ecologist and the resultant National Vegetation Classification Survey was submitted by the applicant on June 3.
The report lists the presence of Globally Threatened Species, including Whorled Caraway and Species of County or Local High Significance, including Greater Butterfly Orchids and Marsh Orchids. Devils-bit Scabious, an important food plant for the rare Marsh Fritillary Butterfly was also found, but not in sufficient quantity to support a colony of the rare species, according to the report.
The report concludes that mitigation and translocation of these species are the best options, moving these rare plants to another part of the field to make way for caravans. However, the Focus Group claims that under Government guidelines on protected species mitigation, the movement of plants should be regarded as a last resort.
“An alternative option would be to take this opportunity to preserve and protect one of the diminishing local and national oases of biodiversity for future generations,” they suggest. “The Wildlife Trust champions halting the historical losses, since the 1930s, of 97% of wildflower meadows. Their destruction is irreversible, and it is within Carmarthenshire County Council’s power to fulfil their Biodiversity Policy aspirations.”
Protestors point out that CCC’s Biodiversity Policy states: ‘Proposals for development which have an adverse impact (including through disturbance) on protected species or their habitats, or the integrity of other habitats, sites or features of recognised importance to biodiversity and nature conservation interests will NOT be permitted, EXCEPT where it can be demonstrated that there are exceptional circumstances where the reasons for the development or land use change clearly outweighs the need to safeguard the biodiversity and nature conservation interests of the site and where alternative habitat provision can be made in order to maintain and enhance local biodiversity’.
However, it must be noted that following the release of this report, NRW offered no objection to the development.
The report also claims that the Greater Butterfly Orchids found on the site will ‘benefit from the positive conservation management proposed in mitigation of the development, if it proceeds’. It is also suggested that ‘these plants are unlikely to survive if the site continues to be left to scrub-over or if it were to be sold and subsequently agriculturally improved’.
As yet, no decision has been taken by planning officers. However, more than 130 letters of objection and a petition opposing the development have already been sent to CCC.
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