Wildlifeponds and butterfly bank to be created on charity-owned land in south Warwickshire

Two wildlife ponds and a butterfly bank are to be created on charity-owned land in south Warwickshire.

And Warwickshire County Council is urging more landowners to come forward to allow further biodiversity projects to be developed.

The ponds will be dug on land off Gospel Oak Lane in Pathlow, near Snitterfield, with the funding coming from money collected from developers to offset the impact on wildlife when new homes are built.

The land is owned by the Forest of Hearts who will eventually take over the running of the ponds but the application was made by the county council.

In a report to members of this week’s regulatory committee of Warwickshire County Council, planner Paul Wilcox explained: “The two ponds would be monitored after their construction to ensure they become established and provide the intended habitat.”

And speaking to members of the virtual committee he added: “As I understand it, the applicant will be managing both ponds.

"I think at some point they will hand over to the Forest of Hearts to take over the responsibility because part of the plan includes a future pond dipping platform.

"The applicant won’t be doing that, the Forest of Hearts will do that at some point in the future so I expect there to be a handover process two or three years down the line following an establishment period.”

The project will form part of the Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull great crested newt conservation strategy. It will sit alongside a butterfly bank and a community orchard.

Cllr Anne Parry (Con, Wellesbourne) said: “I wanted to speak on behalf of Snitterfield Parish Council together with myself.

"We are extremely positive about this particular proposal, we feel it will add terrific biodiversity benefits to the parish and we would just urge all members to support the application and feel thrilled to have such a project on our doorstep.

“We also feel that it will help alleviate potential flooding or other surface water issues that have caused a few problems. It is a thumbs up from us all.”

There was unanimous support with one councillor asking how other sites could be proposed.

Cllr Davie Reilly (Con, Coleshill North and Water Orton) said: “I’m interested to know how sites are chosen because obviously there are a whole series around the county that would benefit from similar projects.”

The council’s legal service manager, Ian Marriott, explained: “They maintain a list of willing landowners who will let their land be developed for these offsetting schemes and they are always keen to take new landowners on to their list.

“When they have money they try to find a site for the offsetting which is as close as possible to the development that yielded the money.”