Bristol City (Green) Council and Development Near Badger Setts

 Regarding the previous post I received this from Natural England this morning:

"Good morning Terry, thank you for your email.

 

"I have checked our licence database and cannot find any licences associated with (deleted -TH) Cemetery.

 

"The safeguarding of any protected species is the landowner’s responsibility, and if they commence any activity which may potentially endanger the protected species habitat (e.g. site clearance, demolition), or harm or kill a protected species, a wildlife crime may be committed. In this instance the police are the enforcement body for wildlife crime, as opposed to Natural England. We, unfortunately, have limited enforcement powers with regards to wildlife, until such time as a licence is breached (further information concerning our Enforcement position can be found here - Enforcement laws: advice on protecting the natural environment in England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).

 

"If you have reasonable grounds to suspect any works led to the damage or destruction of any protected species habitat, or the harming or killing of a protected species, you can contact your local police force (either online or by dialling 101), to report this matter to them for further investigation as a potential wildlife crime. To assist them with investigating your concerns, please provide them with as much information as possible regarding the nature of the works, dates and times, the protected species you believe to be present within the site, and any evidence you can produce to this effect. Tell the Force Operator that you wish to report a wildlife crime and ask for a Wildlife Crime Officer to be allocated the incident if possible. Ask for and retain a police incident number to allow you to make and follow up enquiries with the police.

 

"Kind regards

Sarah"

Following this and confirmation that the work (taking place near a sett entrance) was taking place on Bristol City Council land and on their instructions I sent the following email to Councillor Tony Dyer, Head of the Green led Bristol City Council:

Above photo of the foundation work dug up at BCCs orders.

"Hello.

"Although I contacted councillors all holding the relevant council cabinet positions (including Ed Plowden) they have all decided to not respond other than the usual "you are not in my ward" messages. Either they hold cabinet positions or they just want to be local councillors with no responsibilities.  The Green Party was voted in by people in Bristol based on the promise of taking care of the City's environment and wildlife after years of abuse under Labour.

"To say the very least the Green Council is not distinguishable from Labour. More trees felled, more concern for development than the environment and wildlife.  Last year I contacted BCC over a land sell off attempt in Eastville that would be on badger territory that was active going back to at least the 1970s (from my own personal knowledge). Data was provided to BCC along with video clips of the badgers and setts. The sale was called off.

"On Friday I and Bristol Badger Group were informed that a digger was at work on the Ridgeway Park Cemetery site area. The driver of the digger told locals that Bristol City Council had ordered the digging of foundations (see attached photo). This is well within the 30 metre distance from an active badger sett -the badger sett in question is active and appears to be occupied by a pregnant sow -of which we have video footage. 

"Despite the knowledge that BCC  has that there are active badger setts in the area I am sadly not shocked that this work is carried out in cub season.   I attached an email from Natural England on this matter and locals will be reporting any work going on near the sett to Avon and Somerset Police. 

"We had all expected far better from a Green run Council.

T. Hooper

Bristol Badger Group (f 1994)"

We await Mr Dyer's response.

Bristol City Council Want To Dig In A Badger Sett Area UPDATE

  APHA and Natural England will take up to 8 days to respond. Bristol City councillors named and holding cabinet positions are all using the old "We cannot reply if you are not in our ward" trick. They all know and have been informed by email and their responses show they have been made aware of the facts so no ducking the issue.

The leader of BCC is also aware so if people in this area are concerned they need to get in touch with him asap Monday morning.

Councillor Tony Dyer is the Leader of Bristol City Council as of May 2024, representing the Southville ward. You can contact him via email at Cllr.Tony.Dyer@bristol.gov.uk. For general council enquiries, call 0117 922 2000 or email customer.services@bristol.gov.uk.

Despite last year's battle to stop a £400K land sell off by Bristol City Council  which resulted in the sale being cancelled I was informed yesterday that a digger was now on site. Bristol City Council tends to ignore notifications and phone calls are never responded to.

In this case I have suggested that any digging starts it should be reported as a wildlife crime since we have no idea how far spread underground setts are and this is cub season. I have removed the exact location for wildlife safety but here are the emails sent out.

​SM-APHA-Customer Advice;​enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk​

Hello.

Despite previously carrying out a survey and informing the relevant members of Bristol City Council that a planned development sell off of land was a long established badger sett area (pre 1970s) and that sell off having been cancelled (knotweed is also prevalent in the area) I was informed on Friday 20^th March that a digger had been moved onto the badger area to "excavate foundations for Bristol City Council".

I have contacted BCC (email attached) senior leaders and explained, again, that digging would disturb badgers (how far underground from setts their tunnels run we do not know) especially as it is now cub season. BCC tends to ignore these notifications and I wanted to make sure that other agencies were aware of what is planned.

My thanks in Advance

Terry Hooper

Bristol Badger Group f 1994

​Councillor Ed Plowden;​Councillor Martin Fodor;​Councillor Heather Mack;​Councillor Susan Whittam;​nick.hibberd@bristol.gov.uk;​Councillor Tony Dyer​

Hello.

Last year there was an attempt to sell off land at xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx despite the evidence provided by local residents and I submitted the same evidence to BCC.  The area also has knotweed.

On Friday 20^th March it was reported that a digger had been moved onto the site and the driver when challenged told residents that he was there to "uncover foundations for Bristol City Council "to look at".

I will be forwarding details to Natural England as well as DEFRA to ensure that this activity is noted as I assume that the council has not had any wildlife surveyor check for location of badger setts near to the dig site. Also this is cub season so any such activity can cause great distress to  badgers with cubs.

Badgers and their setts (tunnels, chambers, and entrances) are strictly protected in England and Wales under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, making it a criminal offence to damage, destroy, or obstruct access to a sett, or to disturb a badger while it is occupying one. 

• Exclusion Zones: As a general rule, a 30-metre buffer zone should be established around active badger setts, where no heavy machinery or excavation work should take place.
• Work Distances:
• < 10m: Only hand tools/light work.
• < 20m: Light machinery/digging.
• < 30m: Very heavy machinery.

I have advised locals that since they and Bristol Badger Group have previously identified the area as a long established badger site and informed Bristol City Council of this that if if any work takes place near to setts it is reported to Avon and Somerset Police as a wildlife crime in progress.

I hope BCC will refrain from any digging work especially in cub season.

Terry Hooper

Bristol Badger Group f 1994

Can't Sell The Land Because of Badgers....send a digger in.

 

It never stops. This is all unpaid for time and advice.

Apparently the Eastville site that could not be sold due to established badger setts there now has a digger on it.

Everyone should have the law regarding disturbance of badger setts. In this case as that is all known by the landowner if the action planned is to dig up the area and disturb badgers or the area then it is a criminal offence.

Simply telephone Avon and Somerset Police and report a "possible wildlife crime"

Report wildlife crime to Avon and Somerset Police immediately by calling 999 if in progress, or 101 for non-emergencies, including incidents like poaching, badger sett disturbance, or illegal bird trapping. Use their dedicated online rural crime reporting form for detailed reports. Do not approach suspects and report anonymously