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| Fears for secret wildlife haven
down by the canal |
Concern that tidy-up plan could
ruin an oasis amid building work
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Consultant Sophie Talbot is leading the conservation area
campaign
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A CAMPAIGN is being launched to save a forgotten wildlife oasis
– said to attract the increasingly rare cockney sparrow –
overlooking Regent’s Canal at King’s Cross.
Residents and boat owners are concerned about plans to tidy up part
of a conservation area at Battlebridge Basin which contains a colourful
mix of trees and bushes.
They fear the work will result in a loss of habitat for birds and
insects.
The site screens residents in Wharfedale Road from building work
on the other side of the basin, where the new seven-storey home
for the Guardian newspaper and the London Symphony Orchestra is
going up.
The first residents at Battlebridge Court heard about the threat
to the open space was in a letter from North British Housing Association.
Sophie Talbot, a construction liaison consultant leading the protest,
said: “The biggest problem is trying to find information on
precisely what they want to do.
“The letter from NBH was confusing and merely stated that planning
permission had been approved by Islington Council.
“Then I was told NBH don’t actually own the site, and
it is owned by British Waterways. I have since discovered that the
land is in fact owned by Battlebridge Moorings.
“It may be that they just want to reduce some of the foliage.
But I don’t want to wake up one morning and find they have
flattened or damaged the whole site.
“It’s an important nesting place for blackbirds, tits,
robins and the London sparrow, which is in decline.”
The area contains clematis, honeysuckle and wild roses along with
deciduous and evergreen trees.
Artist Robin Jenkins, who has a canal boat, Ania, in the basin,
said: “I can see this wonderful greenery from the boat when
I wake up in the morning.
“It’s one of backdoor London’s secrets and is much
needed with all the development and noise going on around here.
“The last thing we want is to make this area look more urban,
which is what would happen if we cut the greenery back.”
A spokeswoman for NBH said its information was that the site was
being tidied up rather than cut back.
She added: “We don’t own the site but we have been consulted
by the owners, Battlebridge Moorings. Because it is a conservation
area they have to be particularly sensitive about what they do.
“But as I understand it there are no plans to uproot trees
and bushes. It is merely to trim them back a bit.” |
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