Furious residents blast council over ‘annihilation’ of Essex grassland teaming with uncommon birds and bugs for 1,000 newbuild properties
Enraged locals have slammed a local council for earmarking a rare acid grassland for 1,000 homes, branding it as the ‘annihilation of entire species and habitats’.
The Middlewick Ranges in Colchester is home to several rare species including barbastelle bats, five red-listed birds, and 1,500 invertebrate species.
The 187.8 acres of grassland has been lined up to be sold by the Ministry of Defence so 1,000 new homes can be built south of city, in a plot designated by local plans.
But passionate residents, who have tirelessly campaigned for the last eight years, are determined for the land to be turned into a nature reserve, as one of its ecological experts argue development could spell ‘the end of the road’ for several animals.
Senior ecological consultant and deputy chair of Friends of Middlewick, Martin Pugh, revealed to MailOnline that even the construction of one home could mean total extinction for some species.
‘The four-banded Weevil wasp is another really rare insect. They are only found in Essex and Kent, and small number of places,’ he said.
‘So if you’re getting rid of one of only a tiny number of sites in the county you are one step closer to total extinction.’
He argues that the sale should be ‘off the table’ entirely as the land is one of last ‘islands of wildlife remaining’ in the ‘knackered’ Essex countryside, slamming ‘experimental’ proposals to recreate it elsewhere.
Colchester local have hit out at the city council amid a row over the Middlewick ranges in the south of the ancient city
The 187.8 acres of rare acid grassland (Pictured) teaming with several species has been lined up to be sold by the Ministry of Defence so 1,000 new homes can be built
Now residents are calling for Colchester City Council to remove from local plans and to be categorised as a nature reserve once and for all
The ecologist hit out at suggestions to place sulphur on another stretch of land, which is already an existing owl habitat, in a bid to recreate the acid grassland.
‘The 21 waxcap species, top two UK Nightingale population, vulnerable Barbastelle bats and rare invertebrates show this site exceeds SSSI value. Middlewick is of national level value, that is now irrefutable.’ he said.
‘It would be really significant habitat loss. That acid grassland has taken hundreds and hundreds of years to establish.
‘Its dangerous to get into a mindset that well, if there’s a nature reserve there, don’t worry, we’ll just plant trees, we’ll replace it down the road, we can kill everything off.
‘And that is what what we’re talking about. We’re talking about the killing and really the annihilation of entire species and habitats.’
He added: ‘It doesn’t matter how much chemicals you put down. You can’t replace it.’
One species that will fall victim to this technique would be the Velvet Ground Beetle, one of the fastest declining insects of its kind.
Mr Pugh explained there would be no way for them to recolonise – even if it was only a meter away – as they do not have a flight phase.
He quipped: ‘The real intention isn’t to to replicate amazing wildlife habitat is to get it over the line to get it, get it sold, and then from their perspective, it’s to get a job done.’
He added: ‘[Middlewick] has several invertebrates, and over 10 percent of those have conservation designation so are really rare and threatened.
‘But the species that people remember are ones like Red Listed Nightingale as well as Barbastelle bats, which are a very heavily protected European protected species.’
The rare plot of land which has remained untouched for over two centuries accounts for ten per cent of Essex’s grassland
However a 2020 survey carried out by Stantec later categorised the grassland as ‘unimproved’ (Pictured left to right: The 2017 survey of the land and a 2020 survey of the land)
The Middlewick Ranges are the second largest habitat for nightingale birds (Pictured right)
In 2017, a Freedom Of Information request made by the group unearthed that the ranges of rare acid grassland, which have remained untouched for over two centuries, accounted for over ten per cent of Essex’s remaining grassland.
However a 2020 survey carried out by Stantec later categorised the grassland as ‘unimproved’, but this report was later deemed ‘rubbish’ by senior councillor Andrea Luxford Vaughan who told ecologists they would have to ‘start again from scratch’.
A letter submitted in 2022 by Natural England, who do not usually comment on non-statutory sites, also determined the wildlife site was of ‘considerable significance for many rare and notable species’.
Now campaign group – Friends of Middlewick – have raised £10,000 in a single week in collaboration with the RSPB and several wildlife conservation charities, as they prepare to take on the council if the land isn’t removed from the local plan.
The former Roman capital is packed with a rich history and so too is its beloved acid grassland, which has seen archaeological remains dating back to the early prehistoric period until World War II.
But Mr Pugh believes building on the site will not only cause traffic chaos, flooding issues and more for Colchester, but will set a negative precedent nationwide when it comes to biodiverse wildlife and building development.
‘Years ago we already knew it was a very special sites for acid grassland,’ Martin Pugh told MailOnline: ‘For bugs it is one of the best invertebrate sites in the county.
More recently this report was deemed ‘rubbish’ by senior councillor Andrea Luxford Vaughan who told ecologists they would have to ‘start again from scratch’
Senior ecological consultant and deputy chair of Friends of Middlewick, Martin Pugh, revealed the land being on local plans gives a potential developers
Mr Pugh says these plans would mean local and national extinction for insects like the four-banded Weevil wasp (Pictured), which are only found in a small number of sites across the nation
‘And the more we’ve been uncovering the more we’ve been realising it’s not just of county value – it’s of national level value.’
‘Unfortunately, in Essex, particularly in Colchester, they have a habit of building on these local wildlife sites,’ he said.
‘We’re not anti-housing. We’re not saying, “don’t build anywhere”, but don’t build on the two percent of these really special places.’
The site is currently owned by the Ministry of Defence, who Mr Pugh claims saw it as a ‘liability’ to ‘flog off to the highest bidder’ after they finished using the site.
‘They see this as an asset. There’s a complete disregard to wildlife and the local community, and it’s really about just milking for every last pound.’
Mr Pugh alleges that the MoD alongside the council had launched the Middlewick Ranges onto their local plans and ‘matched’ evidence ‘to get a forgone conclusion’.
‘They’re just doubling down and not listening to the data,’ he claimed.
‘They need to listen to the science and listen to local voices and take this off the table for development and make it a nature reserve.’
Middlewick Ranges also boasts the best population of wax cat fungi (Pictured), including Coal Spoil Fungi
Waxcap fungi is known as the ‘jewel of the fungi world’, according to Gwent Wildlife Trust, as they indicate their presence is an indication of a high quality unimproved grassland habitat (Pictured: A map showing the different type of fungi on the plot)
Mr Pugh alleges that the MoD alongside the council had launched the Middlewick Ranges onto their local plans and ‘matched’ evidence ‘to get a forgone conclusion’.
Home to Cuckoos, Linux, owls and ten different types of bats, Middlewick Ranges also boasts the best population of wax cat fungi, including Coal Spoil Fungi, according to an independent survey carried out by national expert Emma Williams.
Waxcap fungi is known as the ‘jewel of the fungi world’, according to Gwent Wildlife Trust.
They are one of the groups of grassland fungi which do not tolerate the use of chemicals, such as compound fertilisers and pesticides, therefore their presence is an indication of a high quality unimproved grassland habitat.
However it isn’t only the wildlife at risk, as potential plans could spell disaster for the community who use the green space to walk their pets, with some having no gardens.
‘It’s not just locally but in the whole district and county, people walk there and rely on it for green space – some people haven’t got a garden,’ Mr Pugh said.
‘They’ve kind of targeted South Colchester and Middlewick because they thought they could get away with it because people aren’t as well off and don’t have the resources.’
He added: ‘This is unviable on every metric, not just ecologically, I mean think about the traffic, sewage, flooding.
‘They need to listen to the science and and listen to local voices and take this off the table for development and make it a nature reserve,’ he added
One species that will fall victim an attempt of the grassland being recreated would be the Velvet Ground Beetle, one of the fastest declining insects of its kind, according to Mr Pugh
‘It’s a preposterous idea to put any more housing in that space where you can’t widen the roads.
‘Anyone who’s In South Colchester every morning will know, how are we going to get an extra cars when you’ve already got these jammed roads and creaking infrastructure.
‘It would be a traffic nightmare for everyone in Colchester.’
Rich Yates, Chief Executive of Essex Wildlife Trust said: ‘Essex Wildlife Trust is fundamentally opposed to the proposals for the redevelopment of Middlewick Ranges for the allocation of 1,000 houses.
‘The ecological reports produced to justify the allocation have now been widely discredited, they underestimate and do not accurately portray the importance of this site.
‘Middlewick Ranges is home to 23 Red Data Book Species, the rarest of rare, including supporting the UK’s second largest population of nightingales and breeding barbastelle bats, which are considered vulnerable to extinction.
‘Much of the site is made up of rare acid grassland, forming one of the largest expanses in the east of England.
‘This habitat has been left undisturbed for at least two centuries, allowing high levels of plant, wildflower and fungi species to flourish.
‘Protecting this green space is also paramount for the local community, as Middlewick Ranges is one of Colchester City’s largest Local Wildlife Sites.
The rare grassland is also home to several rare invertebrates as well as numerous butterfly species
The Friends of Middlewick are currently working with Essex Wildlife Trust as well as RSPB to make sure the land is categorised as a nature reserve
‘The Trust is working with partners to ensure the long-term protection of Middlewick Ranges, for both wildlife and people.’
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: ‘The decision to dispose of Middlewick Ranges was announced in Parliament in 2016 as there was no longer a Defence requirement for the site.
‘It is for the Local Authority and its new owner to determine the development of the site.
‘We commissioned a comprehensive range of surveys over a three-year period to ensure that environmental impacts were understood and mitigated.’
A spokesperson for Colchester City Council said: ‘We are undertaking a comprehensive review of the Local Plan, as required by national planning regulations.
‘As part of this review, we are carefully considering the ongoing ecological survey at Middlewick Ranges, ensuring that the latest evidence is incorporated into our decision-making process.’
MailOnline has approached the RSPB for comment.
