ENVIRONMENT
Environment and Wildlife
The site is home to, or adjacent to, the habitat of several protected species, including badgers and otters; both are frequently seen. The developer proposes to relocate a badger sett to the middle of the site which will be in use by vehicles 24/7. This demonstrates a cavalier approach to protecting nature. Bats, reptiles and amphibians are often seen on site, but evidence produced so far by local wildlife lovers is anecdotal, so can be ignored by the developer.
Herons, egrets, swans and other birds frequently nest where the Dogsmouth Brook meets the River Great Ouse, and the vast floodplain downriver from the site is a haven for wildlife. This wildlife would be put at risk from light, noise, and potential water-borne pollution from contaminants.
River Pollution
The River Great Ouse runs close to the proposed development and is a haven for wildlife. It is home to otters and other protected species such as the White-clawed Crayfish. In summer local residents swim in the river and children use it for paddling.
The Dogsmouth Brook runs through the proposed development site and into the Great Ouse. At times of excessive rain, and when the drainage systems cannot cope, it is used to divert waste water overflow from neighbouring villages. Currently the natural ecosystem and flood plains filter out pollutants.
The developers propose to widen and straighten the Dogsmouth Brook to facilitate drainage from their site. The new proposed reservoir will be filled with effluent rich water in times of high rainfall. And logic dictates that if the outflow is slower than the inflow, the reservoir will fill up – where will the flood water go if that is the case?
Related to this, the developers are proposing a vehicle washing station on the site. Surface run-off from vehicle washing areas can contain high levels of pollutants such as: detergents, oil and fuel, suspended solids, grease and antifreeze. By law run-off must not be allowed to enter surface water drains, surface waters or ground waters as this will cause pollution and could result in prosecution.
However, there is a real risk that an accidental leak of these chemicals so close to waterways could lead to an environmental disaster.
Contamination
Furthermore, Furtho Pit, as its name suggests, was the site of an old sand pit which closed when the sand and gravel was exhausted at the end of the 1950s. The site was subsequently back filled with waste generated from the Deanshanger Oxide works. The waste was from the production of oxide pigments for the paint industry. It contained a cake slurry of ferrous and ferric sulphates and sulphites and toxic by-products, including antimony and arsenic. Also dumped in the infill were surplus ferrous products from the industrial process. The site was topped off with approximately 1 to 1.5 metres of topsoil with no clay capping. Collection pipes were laid to allow leachate water to run from the site, and these outflow points can still be found today; they are evident from the distinctive red rust colour at these outflow points and terminate in a boggy area several metres away from the Dogsmouth Brook. The developers plan to build on top of this, it is not known what effect disturbing this waste will have on the local environment and the potential for water borne pollution. The developer’s response to this is that they want WNC to approve the application with the caveat that they will stop proceedings if they discover contamination at a later date.
Environment and Wildlife
The site is home to, or adjacent to, the habitat of several protected species, including badgers and otters; both are frequently seen. The developer proposes to relocate a badger sett to the middle of the site which will be in use by vehicles 24/7. This demonstrates a cavalier approach to protecting nature. Bats, reptiles and amphibians are often seen on site, but evidence produced so far by local wildlife lovers is anecdotal, so can be ignored by the developer.
Herons, egrets, swans and other birds frequently nest where the Dogsmouth Brook meets the River Great Ouse, and the vast floodplain downriver from the site is a haven for wildlife. This wildlife would be put at risk from light, noise, and potential water-borne pollution from contaminants.
River Pollution
The River Great Ouse runs close to the proposed development and is a haven for wildlife. It is home to otters and other protected species such as the White-clawed Crayfish. In summer local residents swim in the river and children use it for paddling.
The Dogsmouth Brook runs through the proposed development site and into the Great Ouse. At times of excessive rain, and when the drainage systems cannot cope, it is used to divert waste water overflow from neighbouring villages. Currently the natural ecosystem and flood plains filter out pollutants.
The developers propose to widen and straighten the Dogsmouth Brook to facilitate drainage from their site. The new proposed reservoir will be filled with effluent rich water in times of high rainfall. And logic dictates that if the outflow is slower than the inflow, the reservoir will fill up – where will the flood water go if that is the case?
Related to this, the developers are proposing a vehicle washing station on the site. Surface run-off from vehicle washing areas can contain high levels of pollutants such as: detergents, oil and fuel, suspended solids, grease and antifreeze. By law run-off must not be allowed to enter surface water drains, surface waters or ground waters as this will cause pollution and could result in prosecution.
However, there is a real risk that an accidental leak of these chemicals so close to waterways could lead to an environmental disaster.
Contamination
Furthermore, Furtho Pit, as its name suggests, was the site of an old sand pit which closed when the sand and gravel was exhausted at the end of the 1950s. The site was subsequently back filled with waste generated from the Deanshanger Oxide works. The waste was from the production of oxide pigments for the paint industry. It contained a cake slurry of ferrous and ferric sulphates and sulphites and toxic by-products, including antimony and arsenic. Also dumped in the infill were surplus ferrous products from the industrial process. The site was topped off with approximately 1 to 1.5 metres of topsoil with no clay capping. Collection pipes were laid to allow leachate water to run from the site, and these outflow points can still be found today; they are evident from the distinctive red rust colour at these outflow points and terminate in a boggy area several metres away from the Dogsmouth Brook. The developers plan to build on top of this, it is not known what effect disturbing this waste will have on the local environment and the potential for water borne pollution. The developer’s response to this is that they want WNC to approve the application with the caveat that they will stop proceedings if they discover contamination at a later date.
“...a place where we have modern towns but where rural character is cherished”
West Northants Council Vision Statement
Environment - Reasons to Object
- Destruction of wildlife habitat – bats, badgers, deer, fox, newts, grass snakes, frogs, toads, barn owls, woodpeckers and other birdlife
- Otters have been seen in the Great Ouse at the foot of the site, and sightings are markedly increased in recent years
- Potential river pollution could have a catastrophic effect on the local wildlife along the adjacent river and flood plain
- The Environment Agency is still awaiting a response from the developer in answer to questions raised by the FDOG commissioned review written by Bioscan regarding Biodiversity
Website of The Furtho Development Objection Group
Have a question, comment or offer of help?
Let us know.
