Why do I even bother when a rich guy can unfortunately everything I work for and more?

[BirminghamWildlifeAdvocate]

My local council has had an application submitted to remove a massive portion of woodland which connects two nature reserves, is alongside a river which acts as a corridor for nature. Deer, badgers, hedgehogs even otters use this area to move through birmingham. For food, to breed, to live.
And someone has decided they would like to build houses on that area and destroy hundred year old trees, homes and food sources of countless animals.

The planning application includes these words "the site must be checked every morning for trapped or dead deer." So they know and expect to kill wildlife.

This is the middle of Birmingham by the way, a major city with limited green space. Why can't they build on the countless empty unused carparks? The dilapidated buildings and warehouses? Why here? Why this magical piece of land that contains so much? For 14 houses?
I know there is a housing crisis but these won't be houses for socal housing, they will be really expensive and massive and nobody i know will be able to afford them.

This site will most likely cause flooding, the area was purposely left over a hundred years ago to act as a flood plain.

There have been over 60 objections so far. I started a petition and got over 700 people to sign it. I was told by my local mp that it probably won't be enough and even though they are supporting me and raised an objection themselves, it will probably go ahead as the developers have a right to appeal of they are refused but 3rd parties don't if it is accepted.

I don't know how I can live in a world where I can spend all of my time and money trying to be eco friendly, when someone else with more money can say "right let's destroy this so I can get even more money!" I can't believe it. I feel sick and so worried for my children's future. For their safety.
There have been 2 similar developments on green spaces in my local area in the last decade. Why?

I'll Show you the link. If anyone can spend the time to object. This goes against the National planning policy framework for England, and it goes against the Air Quality Action Plan for Birmingham 2021-2026.
But that doesn't matter because money can be made.

eplanning.birmingham.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/Generic/StdDetails.aspx?PT=Planning%20Applications%20On-Line&TYPE=PL/PlanningPK.xml&PARAM0=1169190&XSLT=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/SiteFiles/Skins/Birmingham/xslt/PL/PLDetails.xslt&FT=Planning%20Application%20Details&PUBLIC=Y&XMLSIDE=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/SiteFiles/Skins/Birmingham/Menus/PL.xml&DAURI=PLANNING

I’m so sorry, @BirminghamWildlifeAdvocate. You have made an amazing effort. I can only imagine the frustration. You have stood firm for what you believe in and that matters.

@Redcart21

I’m sorry you sound like a NIMBY. There is a housing shortage and people need houses to live in. It’s not as easy as saying build on brownfield sites as very often these sites are not fit for purpose for housing, they don’t attract families to live in those areas, lack of outdoor/green space and parking for houses. It can also be far more costly to build on brownfield sites.

It’s easy for you to say this sat in your home in a lovely area surrounded by greenery. There are thousands of families who need appropriate housing which there is a lack of.

The wildlife needs somewhere to live.

The houses could be built elsewhere.

what even is a nimby? I thought you were calling me a ninny

Look on Facebook and see if there's a local vegan group on there you can join. Put your OP on there with the bit about anticipating dead deer in bold. I bet you'll have masses of activists ready to go by the end of the day. My vegan group only allows posts relevent to the local area but someone post in there last week about an injured pigeon in the city center and within an hour several different people had left work to go and take care of it. I can only imagine what response a post about trapped and dead deer would have generated!

@Redcart21

I’m sorry you sound like a NIMBY. There is a housing shortage and people need houses to live in. It’s not as easy as saying build on brownfield sites as very often these sites are not fit for purpose for housing, they don’t attract families to live in those areas, lack of outdoor/green space and parking for houses. It can also be far more costly to build on brownfield sites.

It’s easy for you to say this sat in your home in a lovely area surrounded by greenery. There are thousands of families who need appropriate housing which there is a lack of.

Oh quite right a development of 14 luxury homes is by far the best solution to the housing crisis

I'm so sorry, OP.
Seems that it's all fair game now too.
The "greenbelt" area around London is mostly up for grabs now; housing is worth far more to the well-off than preserving open land/wildlife areas.

I know people need places to live but I agree with you that there are other sites that would be better used for housing development - they just cost more to prepare thus reducing profits. And we can't have the filthy rich losing money, can we!

@Gearedtoyou what does that mean? what happened?

The link appeared to be to various policy documents ? Where is this OP (area of Birmingham/ post code)?

Can you rehouse some rare newts or orchids there or entice bats in or something?

[quote BirminghamWildlifeAdvocate]@Gearedtoyou what does that mean? what happened?[/quote]
Local council declined a gated community of 4/5 bed detached houses on green belt. Developer appealed to the Secretary of State who overturned the council's decision because the area needs homes that no local people will be able to afford

@shinynewapple21

The link appeared to be to various policy documents ? Where is this OP (area of Birmingham/ post code)?

Here's the information on the application itself:

eplanning.idox.birmingham.gov.uk/publisher/mvc/listDocuments?identifier=Planning&reference=2021/08718/PA

Any chance it could become an Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs)

Like you we also derelict or run down trading estates, car parks, shopping centres that would actually be better location for housing, closer to amenities, but those sites aren't as attractive to developers because of the cost of clearing them, reducing profits.

@gearedtoyou I am so so sorry
I really can't believe how upsetting this all is. it is days like this when I really can't wait until it is all over and I am dead and buried (if there are any graveyards left by then) everything seems hopeless.

For those calling her a NIMBY, it's far more environmentally to renovate / make most efficient use of extant housing stock than build new. When hundreds of thousands of flats and homes are empty all over the country, new builds don't make environmental sense at all.

Try to find a protected species on the site - great crested newts or something

Looks like a good chunk of the site is a disused car park, to be fair.

not in my back yard! well I have no back yard left.
I could literally walk for 10 minutes from my front door and show you 50 empty houses. Why not fix them up? or demolish and rebuild there?

fucking nimby
how about niay? not in any yard!

Put bat boxes on the trees. If you can demonstrate a protected species is on site it will help. It worked in Detectorists.

email chris packham about it

not a large portion. a small portion is a disused carpark. big enough for one house.

I live not too far from there - I'll write a letter objecting. When is the deadline?

Link got mangled. This is the site: goo.gl/maps/a75JaNKJVh7HHe3r8

I don't think you're being 'nimby'. You sound like you care deeply about the local environment and are trying to prevent irreversible damage to woodland, protect wildlife and keep something precious. Don't give up!

contact these people maybe for advice: www.bats.org.uk/