naturistbird
Well-known member
Hello all lovers of wildlife!!!
How many of you know or know of Coate Water Country Park in Swindon, Wilts?
It is an SSSI and has been given the Green Flag for its facilities.
It is also a superb birding site; in fact away from the nearby Cotswold water Park, it remains the most important site in the country for wildfowl and waders.
2008 highlights include a summer-plumaged Red Throated diver(March),2 Red-Breasted Mergansers(Nov), 2 Oystercatchers(July) and singles in August and November).
It has a large Heronry with at least 22 occupied nests in April and there were 39 roosting Cormorant in November.
Coate Water is also an important migration stop-off.
Rare bats roost at night; Muntjak deer cross the area by day, and the Park is famous for its Odonata, particularly the regionally important Ruddy Darter and red-Eyed Damselfly.
Persimmon and Redrow Homes have submitted a proposal to build 1800 houses, Offices of up to 7 storeys' high, a Primary School and a University.
Swindon Borough Council were slow in making a decision over this matter , so the Developers have applied directly to the Secretary of State .
There is to be a Planning Enquiry on Feb 10th, 2009, at the Marriott Hotel, Swindon.
The University of the West of England has expressed a KEEN desire to come to the Coate site but have not yet signed.
The Save Coate campaign has collected 52,000 signatures against this building proposal, along with the support of many celebrities, including Simon Barnes, Richard Mabey, Julian Pettifer,Andrew Motion, poet laureate,Tony Benn,John Fowles, author of "The French Lieutenant's Woman", Philippa, Lady Scott of Slimbridge and Will Self and Victoria Glendenning(authors).
People giving support who have a local knowledge of the area include Jonathan Wilkes, Ant and Dec (entertainers), Melinda Messenger (model),Lou Macari,(STFC manager in the 1980s) Gilbert O'Sullivan,( singer) Maurice Malpas and 10 members of management at STFC, Anne Snelgrove MP,Jamie Cox(boxer), David Howell, (golfer)and Lord Apsley of Cirencester Park. Also
Lady Inchcape, Penny Junor,(biographer) Paul Bowerman(photographer) and Mike King( founder of the Glos Birder).
There is also a terrific amount of support from well-known local Swindon figures.
IIT LOOKS VERY MUCH THAT THE DEVELOPERS WILL BE ABLE TO OBTAIN PERMISSION, WHICH WILL BE A DISASTER FOR THE WILDLIFE, ESPECIALLY THE BIRDS.
THE UWE IS ALMOST SURE TO SIGN AS THEY HAVE BEEN PROMISED LARGE SUMS OF MONEY FOR THEIR FACILITIES.
Does anyone have any advice for the Save Coate campaign?
We feel that money will buy anything and we feel powerless to help.
Might the BTO send help to assist us and the wildlife in this tragic time??
Any assistance will be gratefully received.
Thankyou,
Felicity Cobb(Save Coate coalition, aka Naturistbird).
WE REALLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT, PLEASE[/CENTER]
How many of you know or know of Coate Water Country Park in Swindon, Wilts?
It is an SSSI and has been given the Green Flag for its facilities.
It is also a superb birding site; in fact away from the nearby Cotswold water Park, it remains the most important site in the country for wildfowl and waders.
2008 highlights include a summer-plumaged Red Throated diver(March),2 Red-Breasted Mergansers(Nov), 2 Oystercatchers(July) and singles in August and November).
It has a large Heronry with at least 22 occupied nests in April and there were 39 roosting Cormorant in November.
Coate Water is also an important migration stop-off.
Rare bats roost at night; Muntjak deer cross the area by day, and the Park is famous for its Odonata, particularly the regionally important Ruddy Darter and red-Eyed Damselfly.
Persimmon and Redrow Homes have submitted a proposal to build 1800 houses, Offices of up to 7 storeys' high, a Primary School and a University.
Swindon Borough Council were slow in making a decision over this matter , so the Developers have applied directly to the Secretary of State .
There is to be a Planning Enquiry on Feb 10th, 2009, at the Marriott Hotel, Swindon.
The University of the West of England has expressed a KEEN desire to come to the Coate site but have not yet signed.
The Save Coate campaign has collected 52,000 signatures against this building proposal, along with the support of many celebrities, including Simon Barnes, Richard Mabey, Julian Pettifer,Andrew Motion, poet laureate,Tony Benn,John Fowles, author of "The French Lieutenant's Woman", Philippa, Lady Scott of Slimbridge and Will Self and Victoria Glendenning(authors).
People giving support who have a local knowledge of the area include Jonathan Wilkes, Ant and Dec (entertainers), Melinda Messenger (model),Lou Macari,(STFC manager in the 1980s) Gilbert O'Sullivan,( singer) Maurice Malpas and 10 members of management at STFC, Anne Snelgrove MP,Jamie Cox(boxer), David Howell, (golfer)and Lord Apsley of Cirencester Park. Also
Lady Inchcape, Penny Junor,(biographer) Paul Bowerman(photographer) and Mike King( founder of the Glos Birder).
There is also a terrific amount of support from well-known local Swindon figures.
IIT LOOKS VERY MUCH THAT THE DEVELOPERS WILL BE ABLE TO OBTAIN PERMISSION, WHICH WILL BE A DISASTER FOR THE WILDLIFE, ESPECIALLY THE BIRDS.
THE UWE IS ALMOST SURE TO SIGN AS THEY HAVE BEEN PROMISED LARGE SUMS OF MONEY FOR THEIR FACILITIES.
Does anyone have any advice for the Save Coate campaign?
We feel that money will buy anything and we feel powerless to help.
Might the BTO send help to assist us and the wildlife in this tragic time??
Any assistance will be gratefully received.
Thankyou,
Felicity Cobb(Save Coate coalition, aka Naturistbird).
