Wildlife and conservation review 2002
brownfield sites. Given what we know of south Essex, where brownfield sites hold key biodiversity
resources - see the numerous articles and reports by Peter Harvey - this gives great cause for
concern. Brownfield biodiversity is brilliant! This is likely to lead to whole series of conflicts in the
near future - we should be arguing for retention of brownfield sites, for biodiversity, and to fulfil
the social inclusion agenda by providing contact with nature for those unable or unwilling to travel
out to the 'real' countryside. But where to put the new houses? Arguably we should be looking to
develop the green field (even Green Belt) sites around our urban centres, as these have been pretty
comprehensively destroyed by horsiculture, horticulture and intensive agriculture, and fulfil little
biodiversity function.
To take just one example, on the western part of Canvey Island lies the former Occidental oil
refinery. Built, never used, and demolished, it now constitutes some 80ha of (brownfield?) land-,
much of it with an imported sandy substrate. Uncertainty about the use of the term 'brownfield'
arises from one legal definition of the term which excludes previously-used sites which have 'returned
to nature' as this most certainly has. Whatever, it has escaped the worst ravages of chemical
agriculture, and is now wonderful for all sorts of wildlife, especially rare and scarce invertebrates.
We have been aware of it for only a few years, but recent surveys have revealed it to be amazingly
important. It holds probably the most important remaining population of Shrill Carder-bee in Britain;
populations of other rare BAP-listed species such as Bombus humilis and Cerceris quinquefasciata;
and many other species which are rare, or extinct elsewhere in the country, or even never recorded
before anywhere in Britain. I hope that in a future Essex Naturalist it will be possible to publish a
full assessment of this incredibly important site.
The East of England Development Agency now owns part of it. They are intent on developing it for
industry, and indeed have outline planning consent to that effect. But as a Government Agency,
they must undertake this development in a sustainable manner, and English Nature has engaged
with EE DA to try and come up with a sustainable solution. English Nature's position is that it is not
opposed to development of the scale proposed within the general area of West Canvey, but it must
not be to the detriment of the key biodiversity features on the site at a whole. It is not yet clear what
the answer is, but we will strive to find one.
And if Thames Gateway developments arc going to go ahead, how will the people occupying the
new houses be provided with water, here in the semi-arid Essex desert? New reservoirs may be one
answer; catchment transfer of water from less arid areas maybe another? But the main proposal at
present is to raise the level of Abberton Reservoir by more than three metres. Never before has an
SPA been so comprehensively altered as this would be. Yes, another Public Inquiry is on the horizon,
probably in about three years' time.
Clearly there is lots of work ahead. At times like this we realise just how great the pressures on our
wildlife are, and how important it is that bodies like the Essex Field Club continue to provide
information and support so that the right decisions may be taken.
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Essex Naturalist (New Series) 20 (2003)