This site has been a meadow for many years and is used for conservation grazing. It has mature hedges on its boundary, and a pond that has been undisturbed for years, potentially with an abundance of wildlife such as newts and frogs. There are wild flowers all over the site, meaning that an ecological investigation would have to be undertaken.
Wildlife I have seen and have some photographic evidence of are as follows:
Barn owls, field fares, grass snakes, thrushes, pheasants, partridges, moorhen, goldfinches, robins, blackbirds, blue tits, great tits, long tailed tits, deer, foxes, bees, buzzards, wild geese, rooks, crows, magpies, squirrels, hares, and bats. They have all been seen on or around the meadow. I have witnessed a significant increase in starlings in the last two years, and they nested last year in my roof. I have also seen evidence of nesting kestrels. Personally, the presence of wildlife on the meadow are important to me and my family, and any building works on this site would have a negative effect on, and interfere with, our enjoyment of the property. I am also concerned about the impact such works would have on the resale value of my property; a family home my husband built himself.
As well as the implications on local wildlife, there is poor access to the site. The infrastructure in Poringland is severely tested at the moment with 250,000 vehicles passing through the village every month, which this site would add to. The site also has a source to the River Chet running through it, and therefore the land is boggy.
Whilst I appreciate the demand for housing across the U.K. is rising, Poringland has recently seen a huge increase in population due to the amount of new-build developments already underway. The village does not have the appropriate amenities to allow for such a rise as it is, and I would strongly advise South Norfolk Council to consider other options for further housing.