Close Proximity Of Such A Large Building Will Disrupt The Crossness Local Wildlife Food Chain. Insects Rarely Inhabit Shaded Places
The healthy effects of exploring open spaces and wild areas are now universally accepted. Public voices rose in thanksgiving after such places improved visitors’ physical and mental welfare during Covid-19 lockdown. Yet somehow there remains an insatiable desire to destroy Local wildlife-friendly spots. The News Shopper story concerning a new Avery Hill school included unattributed quotes pledging to “cleanse” and “sanitise” all “wildlife areas” in western Avery Hill Park.
Quotation marks suggest they are phrases from the building plan. Is this how we should describe Local wildlife areas ? Places to be “cleansed” and “sanitised”. What arrogance. On which planet is the author living ? And how did Greenwich Council pass these plans if they contained such emotive language ? Did they seek guidance on which Local wildlife may be under threat ?
Another blow for local wildlife came with London Mayor Sadiq Khan pulling out of legal challenges to development on Belvedere’s Crossness Nature Reserve border. Cory’s intend building a second waste incinerator on their land bordering the reserve, surely unnecessary with rubbish increasingly recycled rather than burned. Close proximity of such a large building will disrupt the Crossness Local wildlife food chain. Insects rarely inhabit shaded places, meaning severely reduced food sources for birds and animals while areas denied sun may be iced over all winter.
Pollution caused burning rubbish transferred from elsewhere in London on polluting boats will rise. Mr Khan abandoned the legal challenge after being advised against spending taxpayers cash on a case he may lose.
Critics point to a patchy anti-pollution record during his watch. Unable to go through the barricades erected in side roads, Lewisham residents were forced to drive extra miles to reach homes. They also complained sparingly used cycle lanes caused congestion and pollution from displaced vehicles queuing on narrower lanes alongside.
Crossrail could have boosted Mr Khan’s green credentials and brought extra visitors to the Crossness reserve through Abbey Wood station. But instead of luring cross-capital drivers from vehicles it has become the greatest white elephant since Dumbo fell in a vat of whitewash.
The world’s most expensive underground museum is unlikely to have trains running before Mr Khan leaves office. The Labour Mayor is serving an extra year as London supremo with the May elections postponed because of Covid-19. Deliver your verdict if he stands again next May. Meanwhile, let us hope rare birds like Jack Snipe and Bittern, discovered on the same day by Donna Zimmer, continue visiting Crossness.
This news was originally published at News Shopper