Units 3-4, Denford Manor, Lower Denford, Hungerford, RG17 0UN View this email in your browser Tel: 01488 685 440 Email:[email protected] North Wessex Downs AONB : E-Bulletin Issue No 63 July 2016 Welcome to the July e-bulletin for the North Wessex Downs AONB. Included in this edition: • The National Association Conference 2016 • Good news at Harwell - as the Planning Inspector supports our objections • Progress with Network Rail - to mitigate the ugly gantries across the AONB • Dark skies and light pollution - new maps released • Grants news and featured projects • AONB teams combine to plant grassland species • Focus on Wildlife - how can you help? • A new presentation on the North Wessex Downs AONB • Plus plenty of events and things to do in the North Wessex Downs this summer. Landscapes for Life Conference 2016 The annual conference for AONBs was held earlier this week and focused on the contribution that natural beauty can make to the health and wellbeing of society. It is estimated that 50% of women and a third of men in the UK are compromising their health and life expectancy through a lack of physical activity, at a cost of £7.4bn per annum. Also, a sense of place, active and engaged communities, access to really high quality green space, and tranquility all tribute enormously to our mental health. The conference was a great opportunity to link with like-minded organisations and individuals and explore how AONBs can contribute to the UK’s health and wellbeing. Read More (full details of the event will be posted shortly). photo: delegates explore the Malvern Hills on one of the conference field trips Development Good News from Harwell The proposed local plan for the Vale of White Horse District Council had included new sites for 1,400 houses on greenfield sites adjacent to the Harwell Campus, thought to be the. largest housing allocation ever proposed within an AONB or National Park in England. We objected strongly to this proposal alongside countryside groups including CPRE Oxfordshire. We are delighted to report that the Planning Inspector has found that the two sites proposed for housing are not soundly based and has requested confirmation from the Council that the sites will be deleted from the Local Plan. This is great news. It has been a long process and we have maintained our objection to these two sites throughout. It is also a gratifying and timely reminder to local authorities and others to recognise their legal duty to have regard for protecting the natural beauty of this landscape. Read More Progress with Network Rail In January, we reported that as part of their work to modernise the railway from Reading to Didcot, Network Rail is installing huge metal gantries (pictured) across the Goring Gap without proper consideration of the landscape which is a breach of their legal duty of regard. In partnership with the Chilterns and the Local Action Group we persuaded Network Rail to recognise their duty and we are working with them (now supported by Natural England and the Cotswolds) to help them fulfill their responsibilities. As a result, Network Rail are now undertaking a design review to review alternative equipment options and an assessment of landscape impact which will determine appropriate next steps. West Berkshire Housing Development Plan (DPD) The examination into the West Berkshire Housing Development Plan Document (DPD) began on 21 June with the Inspector discussing the principle and methodology of the assessment and housing numbers. Specific sites will be debated in July. The AONB will be attending as it has always maintained that too many houses are proposed within the protected landscape, with particular concerns over the site proposed for Salisbury Road, Hungerford. Read More Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan The plan was adopted in May following the publication of the Inspectors report in March which found the plan to be sound. This was disappointing as it included a site for a new station car park at Whitchurch which we had strongly objected to as it it falls within the AONB. (photo: the field which may be developed as a result.) Night Blight: dark skies and light pollution The most detailed ever satellite maps of England’s light pollution and dark skies have been released by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) in partnership with others including ourselves. The maps are testament to the success of more than 40 years of protecting our countryside from harmful development. It is possible to pick out the shape of the North Wessex Downs AONB with the areas of darker more tranquil skies in contrast to the more developed areas outside the boundary. However, there are some shocking exceptions clearly visible within the area, notably Harwell Enterprise Centre and Chieveley Services which cause more light pollution than the largest settlements of Marlborough and Hungerford, and prominent light pollution from larger towns just outside the AONB, such as Swindon and Reading, spills far out into the North Wessex Downs Together with CPRE, we are calling on local authorities, local businesses, land owners and developers to use these maps to identify areas with severe light pollution and target action to reduce it, as well as identifying existing dark skies that need protecting. The Partnership is currently developing guidance and advice and would like to hear from anyone keen to reduce the impact of lighting. Read More and See the maps here Contact the AONB Teams combine to plant chalk grassland species The chalk grassland of Wiltshire, the downland of Salisbury Plain, the West Wiltshire Downs and the Pewsey and Marlborough Downs, are some of Wiltshire's crowning glories and much of it is protected in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It is a haven for unusual wild plants, rare insects and rich in archaeological interest. For the last four years we have teamed up with Cranborne Chase AONB and the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust in a project called Stepping Stones. As a part of this work, volunteers in Chilmark have been growing hundreds of wild plants from seed. (photo:chalk milkwort) In April, colleagues from the two AONB teams and local volunteers arrived at Pertwood Organic Farm near Longbridge Deverill and planted about 400 kidney vetch, bird's foot trefoil and salad burnet plants. It is hoped that the new plants, all of which are food plants for rare downland butterflies, will spread in the grasslands of Pertwood. This will enable wandering butterflies, perhaps from nearby Mere Down and it's species-rich ancient grasslands, to colonise new areas on Pertwood and then continue to spread outwards to new homes and increased populations. New Study finds River Lambourn in poor state A new report released this week ranks the River Lambourn ecology a lowly tenth out of twelve rivers studied and confirms that the river suffers from pollution. The River Lambourn is a key tributary of the River Kennet and has the highest level of environmental protection as one of England’s most precious chalk streams. With advice and encouragement from Action for the River Kennet (ARK) and Natural England, farmers are changing practices to reduce soil and sediment loss and the water industry are improving sewage treatment methods. Householders with septic tanks have a very important role to play by ensuring that their tanks are in good order and choosing no and low phosphate products. Read More (photo above: Visitors to our 2014 Forum inspect restoration work along the River Lambourn) Grants Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) The SDF supports a range of projects that bring environmental, social and economic benefits to the North Wessex Downs AONB. Read More The SDF has supported a series of wild writing workshops in Wiltshire schools over the last few months. Children have been invited to look at and experience nature before capturing their thoughts, feelings and observations back in the classroom. Look out for examples of the children's work on our website soon. The Tally Ho Community Pub near Hungerford received help from SDF to renovate the first floor rooms into visitor accommodation. The work is now complete and the three, bright, contemporary-styled rooms are now available for booking. TOE2 –Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment Funding theme 2016-2017 – Bumblebees Bumblebees are endearing and familiar insects but our bumblebees have been declining because changes in land management cultural practices have removed many flowers from the landscape, leaving bumblebees with little to feed upon. Most UK species have declined greatly in recent years. TOE2 has announced that its funding theme for 2015-2016 is bumblebees and they would like to hear from projects that might benefit from support. Read More Also,TOE2 in partnership with the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC) has announced a small grants scheme to help volunteer recording of species in Berkshire or Oxfordshire. Read More Raising Awareness of the North Wessex Downs A new presentation is now available, “The Story of the North Wessex Downs” explains how the landscape was formed, man’s influence, why this is such a special place for wildlife and what it means to be an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Materials include a powerpoint presentation with professional illustrations, prompts and photos, a short film and a detailed script. Please contact us for more details and to book a presentation for your local group. If you 'd like to deliver this presentation yourself there will be an open training session on 14 September. Tourism Pewsey Vale Tourism Partnership are keen to encourage local businesses to join the Partnership, the more businesses that join, the more the Partnership can do. See their latest newsletter here and contact them to find out more.