logo + link

Saltford Environment Group
  towards a sustainable future for our village

image

  SEG Home > News List > 2022 News Archive


2022 News Archive

The latest stories are on our home page.

As this is an archive some older links may no longer connect due to changes in web page URL addresses etc.

photograph

In early 2022 Wessex Water gave an update on work planned in 2022 for a new access bridge and wetland habitat to facilitate a new permanent and more sustainable access route from the A431 into their water recycling centre in Saltford.

Click on each story link or scroll down the page (most recent appears first):-

December 2022

England's brown field land still underused & can take 1.2 million new homes

Will "30 by 30" help protect our Green Belt?

Green Belt protection to remain whilst housing targets are to become more flexible

B&NES Council gets go-ahead to overrule local community (213 houses at Withies Green)

November 2022

COP27 agrees 'loss and damage' funding arrangement

SEG updates its main purpose

Saltford woodland protected

SEG responds to Local Plan launch consultation

8 billion and counting (on 15 November)

October 2022

Cost of living support (incl. on energy)

Rishi Sunak reinstates fracking moratorium and reaffirms Green Belt protection

Developer's appeal to build commercial development between Keynsham & Saltford dismissed

The Keynsham Eco Festival is back!

SPC tells it how it is as next Local Plan consultation gets underway

B&NES reaffirms opposition to Fracking

September 2022

B&NES consults on final changes to Local Plan Partial Update

Government lifts Fracking ban in England

Saltford Calendar 2023

Saltford pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

Saltford Heritage Centre to be open as part of Heritage Open Days 2022

August 2022

Opportunity to help protect woodland in Saltford

New development hindering food security

28th July was Earth Overshoot Day

July 2022

Secretary of State stops inappropriate planning consent for 213 houses on "safeguarded" Green Belt!

Big Butterfly Count (15 Jul - 7 Aug)

Kingfisher Lodge supporting wildlife in Saltford

EA warns "No nature, no us"

June 2022

River and green space safety this summer - SPC requests support

Saltford Festival 2nd-10th July

Opposition to controversial planning consent grows

May 2022

Keynsham Recycling Hub - construction underway

Looking after our insects

World Bee Day (20th May)

Request for B&NES Council's premature planning decision to be called-in (UPDATED 21st May)

Disappointment as B&NES permits 213 more homes between Keynsham and Saltford

SPC's new evidence for Local Plan Partial Update's Public Examination

Saltford plants community orchard and wildlife area to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

April 2022

Saltford Councillors meet with WECA and B&NES officials at station site

Sir David Attenborough declared UN "Champion of the Earth"

2022 Big Garden Birdwatch results

IPCC: The next few years are critical

Walking through Saltford's Geological Past - now at Saltford Library

March 2022

Energy prices shooting up - some quick tips to save energy & money

Great River Avon Pick - Saltford

Defending the Green Belt when planning policy falls short

SPC seeks station support funding from WoE Mayor

SPC raises issue of unfair bus fares

Annual Saltford Dawn Chorus Walk, 24th April

UN Treaty to end plastic pollution is coming!

Green fields and wildlife habitats are not luxuries, but essential

February 2022

Be aware of unsafe trees after Storm Eunice

Mead Lane riverbank stabilisation scheme degraded by boat moorings

B&NES Council backed loans for home energy improvements

Fairtrade Fortnight - Coffee Morning 21st Feb

Saltford water recycling centre - access improvement work

January 2022

B&NES Council exceeds new homes target by +84%!

Stargazing location guide

SEG and SPC object to 70 more homes at Keynsham East on former Green Belt land

Big Garden Birdwatch 28 - 30 Jan


News stories start here (most recent appears first):-


December 2022

England's brown field land still underused & can take 1.2 million new homes

December 2022

photograph

The latest report from CPRE (also known as the Countryside Charity) "State of Brownfield 2022" on the state of brownfield in England has found that local councils' registers of brownfield land show over 1.2 million homes (up from 1.05 million in 2018) could be built on 23,000 sites covering more than 27,000 hectares of previously developed land (compared to 21,500 sites on 26,250 ha in 2021). Just 45% of available housing units have been granted planning permission and 550,000 homes with planning permission are still awaiting development.

Most brownfield land still does not have a current planning permission. The minimum housing capacity on brownfield for the South West region is 71,452 homes with just 56% having received planning permission.

In its report the CPRE says that local communities need stronger mechanisms to bring brownfield land forward as a source of land supply, such as increased compulsory purchase powers. Local authorities should also have increased control of the order in which development land is built on so that suitable brownfield sites are developed first.

CPRE also argues that the Infrastructure Levy should be set at least double the rate on greenfield land compared to brownfield, in order to reflect the high costs of greenfield development to local communities, although brownfield redevelopment should still make a direct and effective contribution to meeting local affordable housing need.

The CPRE "State of Brownfield 2022" report can be found from this external site (link).

Return to top of page


Will "30 by 30" help protect our Green Belt?

December 2022

image
Southern Hawker Dragonfly sunbathing in Saltford, 2016

A new Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) to preserve and protect nature has been agreed at the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Convention on Biological Diversity, COP15, held in Montreal, Canada, during December 2022. Multiple important targets that frame the actions nations must now take to halt runaway biodiversity loss, how they fund this and how progress will be monitored and reported are all part of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

30 by 30

The most significant part of the agreement is a commitment to protect 30% of land and water considered important for biodiversity by 2030, known as "30 by 30". Currently, 17% of terrestrial and 10% of marine areas are protected.

Of specific relevance concerning the need to protect the Green Belt, Defra announced at the start of the COP15 Biodiversity conference on 7th December that the UK would negotiate to:

  • Halt and reverse biodiversity loss;
  • Protect 30% of the world's land and ocean by 2030; and
  • Halt species extinctions.

Those policies need to be reflected and delivered in the planning system and strategic planning policies and decisions here in Bath and NE Somerset.

Return to top of page


Green Belt protection to remain whilst housing targets are to become more flexible

December 2022

A Government press release "Communities put at heart of planning system (link)" on 5th December 2022 concerning the Levelling up and Regeneration Bill included 3 specific statements that will be of particular interest to Saltford in connection with protecting the Green Belt, where B&NES and developers have hitherto used housing targets as a justification for development in the Green Belt regardless of objections from the local community and whether local infrastructure can cope with so many new residents, stated that:-

  • Housing targets remain, but are a starting point with new flexibilities to reflect local circumstances.
  • If we are to deliver the new homes this country needs, new development must have the support of local communities. That requires people to know it will be beautiful, accompanied by the right infrastructure, approved democratically, that it will enhance the environment and create proper neighbourhoods.
  • The government will ensure valued landscapes, such as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Green Belt, remain protected through robust national and local planning policies.

It is worth noting that previous to the above and during a House of Commons 30-minute debate held on 15th November 2022 "That this House has considered housing targets and the planning system" and as recorded in Hansard (link), the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (PUSS) for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Dehenna Davison MP, said :- "To incentivise plan production and to ensure that newly produced plans are not undermined, the Government intend to make it clear that authorities do not have to maintain a five-year supply of land for housing where they have an up-to-date plan."

Areas like Saltford can become hot spots for AirBnB lettings that can cause significant disruption to neighbouring residents and reduce the availability of homes for residential use. The statement in the Communities put at heart of planning system press release also included the following information:-

  • The government will also consult on whether planning permission should be required for new short term lets, especially in tourist hotspots.

Return to top of page


B&NES Council gets go-ahead to overrule local community (213 houses at Withies Green)

December 2022

SEG has recently learned that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities wrote to B&NES Council on 22 November to inform the Council that the Secretary of State had decided not to call in the decision by the Council in April 2022 to give outline planning permission for 213 houses etc. at Withies Green, Keynsham (application 20/02673/OUT) after halting the decision by letter on 4th July 2022.

The letter stated that the Government believed planning decisions should be made at the local level wherever possible. In deciding whether to call in this application, the Secretary of State had considered his policy on calling in planning applications and concluded that he would not call in this application and was content that it should be determined by the local planning authority.

Local residents sent in 600 objections to the planning application and the Ward Councillors for the two areas directly affected, Keynsham and Saltford, voted against the application on the B&NES Planning Committee yet B&NES Councillors representing areas unaffected by this decision voted to permit the development. That appalling decision by B&NES Council to permit the development seriously undermines local democracy on planning matters.

This will severely disappoint many residents in Keynsham and Saltford. Losing this land to development will be a very regrettable loss of local green space and wildlife habitat, whilst those who actually travel within or through Keynsham at peak times know that the local roads cannot take any more traffic and more prolonged gridlocks will result.

Discussions and consultations on the identification and allocation of sites for future development for the next B&NES Local Plan covering 2022-2042 are due to commence in summer 2023. The prospect of B&NES Council surrendering yet more green fields in the Green Belt to development will be a matter of great concern to local communities.

PM Rishi Sunak's statement in October that he reaffirmed the Government's commitment to protecting the green belt and adopting a really rigorous "brownfield first" policy" does not give the reassurance we need that housing targets set by Government will not be interpreted by local authorities and developers as a licence to develop Green Belt land, land that whilst it remains undeveloped benefits rural and city dwellers alike, helps nature recover from its depletion over recent decades, and underpins our future food security.

Whilst we can all agree that yet more new housing is still needed, it has to be built in the right place using sustainable development principles.

NOTE

Previous news items about the original Withies Green decision published by SEG during 2022:-

  • May 2022 - Disappointment as B&NES permits 213 more homes between Keynsham and Saltford
  • May 2022 - Request for B&NES Council's premature planning decision to be called-in
  • July 2022 - Secretary of State stops inappropriate planning consent for 213 houses on "safeguarded" Green Belt!

These can be found in our 2022 News Archive [on this page].

Return to top of page


November 2022

COP27 agrees 'loss and damage' funding arrangement

November 2022

image

Hailed as the biggest success since the December 2015 Paris Agreement in Paris (*see Note below), the COP27 summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, the 27th Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) held in November 2022 agreed a new funding arrangement on loss and damage with a pooled fund for countries most affected by climate change. But there was no real progress on actions to meet the 1.5°C increase in global temperature limit.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in his closing statement "Our planet is still in the emergency room... The red line we must not cross is the line that takes our planet over the 1.5°C temperature limit. To have any hope of keeping to 1.5°C, we need to massively invest in renewables and end our addiction to fossil fuels... We are already halfway between the Paris Climate Agreement and the 2030 deadline. We need all hands on deck to drive justice and ambition. This also includes ambition to end the suicidal war on nature that is fuelling the climate crisis, driving species to extinction and destroying ecosystems."

COP 28 will convene from 30 November to 12 December 2023 in the United Arab Emirates.

*NOTE

The main element of the 2015 Paris Agreement that was adopted by 194 parties (193 countries plus the EU), was to "pursue efforts" to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C, and to keep them "well below" 2.0C above pre-industrial times, and to limit greenhouse gas emissions from human activity to the same levels that trees, soil and oceans can absorb naturally - known as net zero - between 2050 and 2100.

Return to top of page


SEG updates its main purpose

November 2022

At its Annual General meeting on 14th November, SEG members present voted unanimously to update SEG's first and main purpose in its Constitution to read as follows (new text in bold):-

  • to raise awareness of environmental issues in Saltford with particular emphasis on how the community can respond to the climate and ecological emergencies.

This is to bring our objectives up-to-date to reflect the urgency of the growing concerns nationally, and internationally of the very real threat to the planet and our natural support systems from climate change and the loss of biodiversity and natural habitats. This is something SEG's Executive Committee has recognised for some time and our work has reflected this, but SEG's constitution had not been updated since 2013.

Our full Constitution can be found on our About Us page.

Return to top of page


Saltford woodland protected

November 2022

image

Further to our news story in August, Opportunity to help protect woodland in Saltford, SEG has today (2nd November) heard from the Senior Arboricultural Officer at B&NES Council that following the statutory consultation, the Tree Preservation Order Woodland to west of 562-578 Bath Road, Saltford No. 12 "was confirmed without any modifications today under delegated powers".

SEG had made the case for the TPO to be made permanent for the following key reasons:-

  • The woodland is an important and prominent feature on the Bath Road (A4) approach to Saltford from Bath and from other vantage points around the village;
  • the woodland contributes to the rural character and green infrastructure of Saltford which in turn supports the wellbeing of its residents and visitors to our village;
  • it provides valuable wildlife habitat and contributes to the wider habitat of the adjoining long standing woodland, Folly Wood; and
  • local woodland absorbs CO2 which contributes to B&NES Council's response to dangerous climate change.

SEG would like to thank all the residents, our Ward Councillor Duncan Hounsell, Saltford Parish Council, and SEG members who submitted responses or made representations to the consultation on the TPO giving their support for the TPO to be made permanent.

Return to top of page


SEG responds to Local Plan launch consultation

November 2022

image

B&NES Council announced on 4th October that the next (new) Local Plan will establish the planning framework for Bath & North East Somerset up to 2042. It will contain a vision, strategy and policies to guide and manage how the district grows and changes over the next 20 years, and how planning applications for new development are decided.

In its initial response on 27th October to B&NES Council's first consultation on its ambitions and scope for the new Local Plan, SEG has asked for three primary ambitions to be added to those already identified by B&NES. The three additional primary ambitions requested were as follows:-

   1. Enhancing ecological recovery, and hence supporting local and national food security, by protecting Green Belt and green fields from development - this could be achieved by expanding the description of the ambition "protecting and enhancing nature".

   2. Provide green recreational space (i.e., public parks, preferably with open water features such as rivers, large ponds or lakes) for the inhabitants of recent and new housing developments to reduce the pressure on wildlife, natural habitats and communities from visitor inundations whilst improving the quality of life for new and existing residents.

   3. Improve sustainable transport (cycle-ways, footpaths and rail such as re-opening closed stations including Saltford) and road transport infrastructure provision that meets the actual needs of existing and new inhabitants.

SEG also suggested that "Provision of new transport to overcome unsustainable pressure placed on transport and related infrastructure in Bath and NE Somerset by the existing 2014 Local Plan" be included within the scope of the new Local Plan.

At its monthly meeting on 1st November, Saltford Parish Council resolved to submit a similar response and also identified "Clear policy on short term holiday lets to protect neighbours and residents" as a topic missing from the initial proposals.

NOTE

Details on the 2022-2042 Local Plan consultation can be found on the B&NES website from this link.

Return to top of page


8 billion and counting (on 15 November)

November 2022

image

On 15th November the planet's human population is expected to reach 8 billion. Against a background of climate change reducing the world's food security, this is an issue that affects us all and is increasingly hard to ignore - the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought into sharp focus the fragility of global food security.

If the UN's recent population projections (July 2022) are correct, human population will peak in 2086 at 10.4 billion, before starting to inch down by roughly 10 million a year towards the end of the century.

If this topic is of interest to you the Population Matters website has further information. Population Matters promotes positive, practical, ethical solutions and campaigns to achieve a sustainable human population, to protect the natural world and improve people's lives.

Sir David Attenborough, the patron of Population Matters, is aptly quoted on the organisation's website:-

   "All our environmental problems become easier to solve with fewer people, and harder - and ultimately impossible - to solve with ever more people."

Return to top of page


October 2022

Cost of living support (incl. on energy)

October 2022

A "Cost of living support" web page has been produced by B&NES Council that provides information on services and support for residents who may be affected by the rising cost of living during the current crisis affecting many households. On the "Cost of living support" web page information and advice concerning support with food, energy and money, a warm spaces directory, details of services and organisations that can help families who have money worries and other support services including the Community Wellbeing Hub can be found.

The "Cost of living support" web page can be found from this external link

B&NES Council's Energy at Home Scheme (link) aims to help residents improve the energy performance of their homes by providing information on energy related home improvements, financial assistance schemes and signposting to suitable installers and contractors. The financial assistance is for eligible households that meet certain criteria (household income must be below £30,000 per year; an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D, E, F or G; and the property must not use gas central heating).

There is also Affordable Warmth (link) funding for residents in the B&NES area who meet the following eligibility criteria: Household income must be below £30,000 per year and have less than £30,000 of savings.

See also our Energy page for energy saving tips, sources of advice, grants and more.

Return to top of page


Rishi Sunak reinstates fracking moratorium and reaffirms Green Belt protection

October 2022

photograph

The day after he was appointed as Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak gave two important environmental pledges on fracking* and the Green Belt during his first Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons on 26 October.

Asked by the Green Party MP Caroline Lucas (Brighton) if he would reverse the green light his predecessor Liz Truss gave to fracking and maintain the moratorium that was pledged in the Conservative Party 2019 General Election manifesto that he had promised to uphold, said he had already said that he "stood by the manifesto on that."

The 2019 general election manifesto had said a Conservative Government would not support fracking unless the science showed "categorically" that it could be carried out safely. The BBC reported after PMQs on its news website that the PM's official spokesman later confirmed the Prime Minister was committed to this promise.

When asked by the Conservative MP Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) "to use this Prime Minister's question as an opportunity to reaffirm the Government's commitment to protecting the green belt and adopting a really rigorous "brownfield first" policy", he replied "I can indeed give my right hon. Friend that assurance. She is absolutely right: we must protect our green belt and we are adopting a "brownfield first" strategy."

*See our Fracking page for more information on this highly controversial subject.

(Source: PMQs quotes directly from Hansard)

Return to top of page


Developer's appeal to build commercial development between Keynsham & Saltford dismissed

October 2022

Residents in Keynsham and Saltford, Saltford parents with school-age children attending Wellsway School, and commuters who use the Bath Road (A4) will be delighted that the developer's appeal to the Planning Inspectorate against B&NES Council's sensible decision in December 2021 to refuse planning permission for application 20/02479/OUT has been dismissed by the Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State.

The planning application from the developer Places For People Strategic Land was for a 5,700 sqm flexible use commercial development with primary access on the Bath Road with all matters reserved except access.

SEG, Saltford Parish Council and Keynsham Town Council had all submitted objections to the planning application in 2020.

In its August 2020 objection SEG stated that it shared "the concerns of Saltford Parish Council and Keynsham Town Council over the impact these proposals will have on access to and from the A4. The transport planning element of the draft Local Plan if adopted would provide additional road infrastructure to relieve pressure on the A4 yet these proposals for Parcel 1991 do not appear to take account of that but would make the A4 more dangerous for pedestrians including school students and cyclists whilst contributing to traffic congestion and thereby air and noise pollution in a residential area. That congestion has a knock-on effect for surrounding communities including Saltford."

SEG also said: "Any further new development between Keynsham and Saltford should be preceded, not followed, by new transport infrastructure to prevent further congestion and gridlock at peak periods as economic activity recovers after COVID-19 when more local car journeys may be a consequence of increased home working and possibly less use of public transport."

SEG's objection text including the ecological case we made was published in August 2020 on our website and can be found in our news archive 2020.

In his dismissal decision, the Inspector went into extensive detail for why access to the site should be onto Pixash Lane via Worlds End Lane and not the Bath Road (A4) "a busy single lane road" and concluded that whilst he found no harm to highway safety, the proposal would still be harmful as it undermines the Council's development strategy for the employment allocation.

Return to top of page


The Keynsham Eco Festival is back!

October 2022

The festival will be held across Keynsham between 12th and 16th October. Showcase stalls, workshops, and talks - practical and inspiring events to help bring about the changes needed for future generations to be able to survive and thrive.

Most events are free and tickets can be booked via Eventbrite where the events are listed with details.

Return to top of page


SPC tells it how it is as next Local Plan consultation gets underway

October 2022

photograph

On 4th October, the day B&NES Council announced its consultation on the next Local Plan (see below), Saltford Parish Council resolved that due to the seriousness of this matter, it wished to place on the official Local Plan Partial Update (LPPU) record that it was extremely disappointed that B&NES Council had not learnt from the mistakes of its existing Local Plan by overruling the expressed concerns of elected representatives for the area affected. The resolved and full text of its letter to B&NES Council was as follows:-

B&NES Local Plan Partial Update (LPPU) Main Modifications Consultation

   This is to confirm that Saltford Parish Council will not be submitting specific comments on the main modifications covered by this consultation as the modifications concerning two East Keynsham safeguarded land sites, are modifications to policies that effect Saltford and which the Parish Council, like Keynsham Town Council and many local residents, are fundamentally opposed to, i.e. the removal of policy KE3b to thereby allow new housing developments totalling over 280 dwellings described in policies KE3c and KE3d, i.e. safeguarded land at East of Keynsham.

   However, the Parish Council resolved at its meeting on 4th October 2022 that due to the seriousness of this matter, it wishes to place on the official LPPU record that it is extremely disappointed that B&NES Council has not learnt from the mistakes of its existing Local Plan by overruling the expressed concerns of elected representatives for the area affected by prematurely seeking the development of safeguarded land in the LPPU.

   As described in the Parish Council's submission resolved at its 5th October 2021 meeting for the main LPPU consultation, if the cumulative effect of new housing developments leading to the current levels of traffic congestion around and within Keynsham and on the A4 corridor between Bristol and Bath had been correctly predicted by transport projections when the original 2014 Core Strategy housing developments and other developments to the east of Bristol and in South Gloucestershire were permitted, it is doubtful that B&NES Council would have been so irresponsible as to have agreed to such negative consequences of that over-development in and around Keynsham that has evidently occurred.

   Those mistakes will now be compounded. By deciding against local advice to add further housing developments at East of Keynsham in the LPPU, B&NES Council plans to make peak time traffic congestion and gridlocks even worse for Keynsham and its surrounding area including the Bath Rd A4 through Saltford. Based on the past performance of transport projections including for the capacity of local roads to cope with new commuter traffic, the Parish Council is concerned that local roads cannot absorb yet more locally based traffic of the volumes likely to arise.

   Furthermore, the Parish Council is not confident that the sustainable transport measures proposed in the LPPU will, even if they are fully delivered by the developer, create a significant modal shift away from car commuting. Existing experience shows that it is inevitable that the new 280 dwellings on safeguarded land at East of Keynsham will further exacerbate the existing severe traffic congestion at peak periods.

   The Parish Council's LPPU submission of 5 October 2021 and subsequent submissions of 3.5.2022 and 7.6.2022 also covered other issues including, in particular, the lack of public green space, biodiversity, land supply, and lower housing delivery targets for LPAs with a high proportion of Green Belt land, which further made the case for not developing land East of Keynsham. These remain important issues. However, the immediate consequence of the new housing developments will be to further reduce the day-to-day quality of life of residents who are seeking to commute to workplaces, support their children to attend local schools, and carry out their normal daily lives. There are many other negative consequences arising from severe road congestion including increased air pollution, lower air quality and reduced productivity due to prolonged peak vehicle use periods.

   Please note that the Parish Council also resolved to publish this letter on its website to make its position on this issue abundantly clear to the community that its Councillors seek to represent.

[END OF LETTER]

B&NES Local Plan Consultation

B&NES Council announced on 4th October that the next (new) Local Plan will establish the planning framework for Bath & North East Somerset up to 2042. It will contain a vision, strategy and policies to guide and manage how the district grows and changes over the next 20 years, and how planning applications for new development are decided.

It will also help to deliver the Council's corporate priorities, including improving people's lives, tackling the climate and ecological emergencies, and preparing for the future in terms of the economy and addressing inequalities.

B&NES has published a Local Plan Launch Document, which sets out the approach we are taking in preparing the Local Plan, including the Council's focus on working with communities and other stakeholders, as well as the priorities the Local Plan should address. Publication of the Launch Document marks the formal start of the Plan preparation process and B&NES would welcome your comments on it.

The consultation runs from 4 October until 15 November 2022 and Saltford Parish Council will resolve its response at its 1st November meeting. [UPDATE:- SEG responded to the consultation on 27th October.]

Details on the 2022-2042 Local Plan consultation can be found on the B&NES website from this link.

Return to top of page


B&NES reaffirms opposition to Fracking

October 2022

photograph
SEG reminding residents of the dangers of Fracking in 2012

B&NES Council's cabinet member for Planning and Licensing Councillor Tim Ball has re-affirmed the council's opposition to fracking within the council's area - and also those of neighbouring authorities. SEG has taken a firm position against Fracking since 2012 and strongly welcomes this renewed commitment from B&NES Council's Cabinet.

A motion agreed by B&NES Council in 2018 identified that the potential impact of fracking and its capacity to affect the water flows for Bath's precious hot springs. This could then be catastrophic for the World Heritage City of Bath. The Full Council meeting resolved to request the council leader to contact authorities which border Bath & North East Somerset to ask them to support the council in its opposition to fracking in our region.

Councillor Ball said: "The recent announcement by central government that it has lifted the ban on fracking put in place in 2019 is extremely concerning to the council and local residents. Bath & North East Council has a statutory duty under the County of Avon Act to protect the source of the hot springs in Bath. This in itself would be a significant reason for opposing fracking within our area. However, when added to other environmental risks and impacts - and our commitment to the use of green technologies to help us achieve our net-zero ambitions - the case against fracking in our own and neighbouring areas is clear and compelling."

The council has said it will now be writing to surrounding local authorities and MPs to reaffirm the council's position.

See our Fracking page for more information on this highly controversial subject.

Return to top of page


September 2022

B&NES consults on final changes to Local Plan Partial Update

September 2022

Despite robust submissions from SEG, SPC and Keynsham Town Council to the Local Plan Partial Update Public Examination held in June and July concerning plans for new housing developments totalling some 280 homes on safeguarded Green Belt land at Keynsham East, the Inspector's report to B&NES Council on the LPPU has not recommended removing those plans from the LPPU.

In response to the Inspector's recommendations there has been some re-wording by B&NES of the biodiversity net gain policies including permission for the developer to reduce the habitat buffer with the local woodland if "it can be clearly demonstrated by the applicant that a reduced buffer would adequately protect the woodland" as well as some re-wording of the sustainable transport measures listed in the policy. Those policies are to investigate, and provide as necessary improved frequency of public transport along the A4; cycle path provision; and a new active travel (i.e. walking and cycling) connection between the A4 and the Bristol Bath Railway Path via Clay Bridge, World's End Lane.

However, there is no guarantee that the sustainable transport measures will create a significant modal shift away from car commuting. As anyone who lives or works in the area will know from bitter experience, it is inevitable that the new 213 houses opposite Pixash Lane at Withies Green together with the additional 70 homes by Minsmere Road will further exacerbate the existing severe traffic congestion at peak periods in and around Keynsham including the Bath Rd A4 through Saltford.

It is inconceivable that if B&NES Planners had been presented with accurate transport forecasts of the severe and extended peak time congestion arising from the cumulative effect of new housing in the existing Local Plan (comprising the 2014 Core Strategy and the 2017 Placemaking Plan) in Keynsham and other surrounding areas, the new housing at Keynsham East would have been approved by a responsible Council. The volume of new housing in this part of the West of England has proved to have a very negative effect on Keynsham and the surrounding area including Saltford. And yet those same mistakes are about to be amplified even further as if no lessons have been learned whilst transport forecasts bear no relation to reality.

The 6-week consultation (21 September to 2 November) is open to all interested parties. However, due to the nature of the process, B&NES Council expects planning specialists or those who were involved in the examination itself will have a specific interest in this consultation.

Consultation details can be found on the B&NES website from this link:- LPPU consultation.

We await news of whether the Secretary of State will, after directing B&NES Council not to grant permission without specific authorisation following its much discredited planning consent decision for application 20/02673/OUT concerning 213 houses etc. at Withies Green, Keynsham, decide to call-in the decision. We reported on this matter in July.

Return to top of page


Government lifts Fracking ban in England

September 2022

You can have a healthy fossil-fuel balance sheet, or a relatively healthy planet... - Bill McKibben

Between 2012 and 2018 SEG lobbied Government and supported local campaigns to resist Fracking or Coal Bed Methane extraction in this area (see our Fracking page for details). The Government announced in 2019 that Fracking will not be allowed to proceed in England.

Unfortunately, in a misguided response to the Russian war in Ukraine affecting world energy prices and supplies, the Liz Truss Government announced on 22nd September 2022 that it will lift the ban on Fracking in England in an attempt to boost domestic energy production.

SEG is keeping a close watch on how this U-turn in energy policy develops with particular reference to any plans for fracking in the B&NES area. Renewable energy and other low carbon solutions are required in the face of the climate and energy supply emergencies, not a reversion to out-dated polluting fossil fuels.

Return to top of page


Saltford Calendar 2023

September 2022

photograph

The Saltford Calendar 2023 featuring some stunning photographs by local photographers is now available from Saltford Post Office* at £8 each.

As in previous years the calendar has been produced by Saltford Community Association and Saltford Environment Group. All net proceeds will be split between SCA, SEG and the Saltford Community Library and Post Office to help further their work supporting the community.

By purchasing your copy or copies (it makes a great gift!) you are helping support the community, including helping to keep the Post Office open, whilst celebrating the village and its rural setting.

*Saltford Post Office is open 9am - 1pm & 2pm - 5pm on Monday to Friday. The Shop & Library (but not P.O.) is also open Saturday 9am - 12 noon.

Return to top of page


Saltford pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

September 2022

photograph

We sometimes think that the world's problems are so big that we can do little to help. On our own we cannot end wars or wipe out injustices. But the cumulative impact of thousands of small acts of goodness can be bigger than we can imagine
Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022

As we come to terms with the loss of our much loved and admired Queen Elizabeth II who died at Balmoral on 8th September, we can reflect on the example she set of self-less service, her dedication and sense of duty to her country and the Commonwealth, her humility, stoicism, compassion and her underlying great sense of fun and humour during her long reign as our monarch.

photograph

The upward course of a nation's history is due in the long run to the soundness of heart of its average men and women
Queen Elizabeth II

photograph

She shared with her late husband Prince Philip, a great love of the countryside and the country way of life. As we face the future challenges of climate change and ecological breakdown without the sense of constancy and stability that Queen Elizabeth provided the nation during difficult times, we can be inspired as we remember her words on VE Day 75, 8th May 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic:-

Never give up, never despair
Queen Elizabeth II

Saltford Parish Council in conjunction with Saltford Community Association has arranged Saltford's Book of Condolence in Saltford Hall that will be available to sign from midday Friday 9th September and will be available weekdays and Saturdays between 7am-6pm, until a week after the funeral has taken place.

Details including where to leave floral tributes if you wish to, can be found on SPC's website (link to tribute page). The SPC website will be updated as further arrangements and tributes etc. in Saltford are made.

Thank you Ma'am!

Return to top of page


Saltford Heritage Centre to be open as part of Heritage Open Days 2022

September 2022

photograph

Heritage Open Days 2022, England's largest festival of history and culture, will held from 9th-18th September. Many museums, ancient buildings and heritage related places will be open for visitors across Bath & North East Somerset during that time. Saltford Heritage Centre (1st Floor, St Mary's Church Hall, Queen Square, High Street, Saltford BS31 3EL) will be open from 2.30pm - 4.30pm on Sunday 18th September - admission is FREE. St. Mary's Church, whose Anglo-Saxon tower is Saltford's oldest building, will also be open that afternoon whilst Saltford Brass Mill will be open on 10th, 11th, 17th and 18th September.

Details of venues open and opening dates/times in the B&NES area can be found on the Heritage Open Days 2022 leaflet that can be downloaded from the Roman Baths website via this link: B&NES HOD 2022 (pdf).

The national HOD website can be reached from this link: Heritage Open Days.

The opening of Saltford Heritage Centre will give residents and visitors a rare opportunity to see the remarkable 3,000-3,500 year old Bronze Age copper alloy socketed spearhead, the oldest metal object found in Saltford, found on the north side of the village before the pandemic. There will also be on display the Saltford Viking Buckle - another rare and fascinating artefact.

Return to top of page


August 2022

Opportunity to help protect woodland in Saltford

August 2022 (Updated November 2022)

image

Families in Saltford have been campaigning to have a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) applied to a parcel of land adjoining the Bath Road, the Folly and Uplands Road. This is approx. an acre of land (OS grid reference ST 687666) which had been untouched for many years - described as mixed deciduous woodland, it includes mature trees which are very visible when looking upwards on the approach to the village from Bath on the Bath Road (A4) and a range of wildlife species including bats, owls, deer, hedgehogs and foxes use this habitat. However, a developer has purchased the land and has already felled some of the mature trees.

The remainder of the woodland is at serious risk despite having no road access to the land (see shaded green area on the map above).

B&NES Council issued a temporary Tree Preservation Order (TPO) for this land on 10th August for 6 months initially to prevent further tree loss. The TPO reference is "Woodland to west of 562-578 Bath Road, Saltford No. 12 (TPO 10.8.2022)".

The reason for the TPO as stated by B&NES is "because the woodland is considered to contribute towards the green infrastructure of the area; has sufficient visual amenity and forms an important skyline feature. The selling of the woodland and recent activities has resulted in requests for the woodland to be considered for protection. The Order came into force, on a temporary basis, on 10th August 2022, and will remain in force for 6 months. During this time the Council will decide whether the Order should be given permanent status."

To help ensure the TPO is made permanent by B&NES Council, residents have until 16th September to submit in writing their representation via email to dm@bathnes.gov.uk or write to Mrs Jane Brewer, Senior Arboricultural Officer, B&NES Council, Planning and Conservation, Lewis House, Manvers Street, Bath, BA1 1JG. Respondents MUST provide their name and address - anonymous comments will not be considered (but personal details will remain confidential and no comments will be attributed to named individuals in any public document).

In making a representation to B&NES (quoting the TPO reference: Woodland to west of 562-578 Bath Road, Saltford No. 12 - TPO 10.8.2022), residents need give reasons why the woodland should be protected, for example:-

  • The woodland is an important and prominent feature on the Bath Road (A4) approach to Saltford from Bath and from walks around the village;
  • the woodland contributes to the rural character and green infrastructure of Saltford which in turn supports the wellbeing of its residents;
  • it provides valuable wildlife habitat and contributes to the wider habitat of the adjoining long standing woodland, Folly Wood;
  • local woodland absorbs CO2 which contributes to B&NES Council's response to dangerous climate change.

If you value and agree that Saltford's wildlife habitat, rural character and setting should be protected, you can help protect this parcel of woodland by submitting a supportive email to B&NES Council by 16th September. Saltford Parish Council will be discussing its response to the TPO at its meeting on 6th September (7.15pm, Saltford Hall).

For reference, the TPO can be found on the B&NES Council website from this link.

UPDATE

The TPO was made permanent on 2nd November 2022.

Return to top of page


New development hindering food security

August 2022

photograph

In July 2022, CPRE, the countryside charity, published a report "Building on our food security" which reveals from research that since 2010 almost 14,500* hectares of England's Best and Most Versatile (BMV) agricultural land been lost to development since 2010 - that's enough land to grow 250,000 tonnes of vegetables a year! Not only that, but 60% of prime farmland left is at risk of flooding from climate change.

* Note: Of the 1,414 hectares of BMV agricultural land (Grade 1, 2 and identified Grade 3a land) lost to development in England during that period, 1,316 hectares was lost in the South West. 1 hectare = 2.471 acres (c.2 acres = a full size football pitch incl. the immediate surrounding land).

CPRE concludes in its detailed report, "it is vital that we maintain as much of our domestic food production as possible. As recent events have shown, the food security of the country increasingly hangs in the balance."

SEG agrees with CPRE. Unless the UK has a land use strategy that protects prime farmland (including Green Belt land that is or can be used in the future to grow food or provide ecological support for agricultural land) our food security is not being safeguarded. Already the UK is incapable of feeding itself without relying on other countries to grow, produce and export food to the UK.

This unsafe situation will worsen still further if we fail to protect not just BMV land but our Green Belt land too. We should not cut off our options by losing our countryside to development.

The CPRE report can be found on the CPRE website from this link:- Building on our food security.

Return to top of page


28th July was Earth Overshoot Day

August 2022

photograph
The "Blue Marble" - the first full Earth image photographed by the Apollo 17 space mission (7.12.1972). This was widely seen as a depiction of Earth's frailty, vulnerability, and humanity's need to live within the planet's 'carrying capacity'.

Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity's demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. We maintain this deficit by liquidating stocks of ecological resources and accumulating waste, primarily carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Earth Overshoot Day is hosted and calculated by Global Footprint Network (www.footprintnetwork.org), an international think tank that coordinates research, develops methodological standards and provides decision-makers with a menu of tools to help the human economy operate within Earth's ecological limits.

28th July was 2022's "Earth Overshoot Day". It gets earlier every year as the world's population grows along with the growth in consumption of non-renewable resources, natural or semi-natural land lost to development, and pollution. In 2021 it was 29th July and the only time it has fallen later rather than earlier compared to the previous year was in 2020, when COVID-19 lockdowns led to drastically reduced economic activity and delayed Earth Overshoot Day by 24 days.

However, the later date in 2020 was not a success or victory. It resulted from a significant cost of human pain and suffering which is not what living sustainability, within the Earth's carrying capacity, is about.

Living within the means of our planet is not out of reach. Plenty of solutions exist in four major areas for improving sustainability: population, food, cities, and energy - taken together the date can be delayed later each year (to #movethedate).

Further information can be found from www.overshootday.org - the SOLUTIONS page describes how Earth Overshoot Day can be delayed.

Return to top of page


July 2022

Secretary of State stops inappropriate planning consent for 213 houses on "safeguarded" Green Belt!

July 2022

photograph
The land under threat...

SEG has discovered today (19th July) the welcome news that on 4th July the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities wrote to B&NES Council and stated that in exercise of his powers under Article 31 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015, the Secretary of State directs B&NES Council not to grant permission on application 20/02673/OUT (213 houses etc. at Withies Green, Keynsham) without specific authorisation.

This Article 31 direction was made by the Minister of State for Housing, Stuart Andrew MP, and was issued to enable the Secretary of State to consider whether he should direct under Section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 that the application should be referred to him for determination.

SEG members will be aware that SEG, Saltford Parish Council and Keynsham Town Council made strong representations to our local MP, Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, who at their request then made representations on their behalf to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, asking that the planning decision be called-in (see our May news story "Request for B&NES Council's premature planning decision to be called-in" and the June news story "Opposition to controversial planning consent grows" for background).

Whilst SEG greatly welcomes this news, we are aware that the final decision on this highly inappropriate planning consent that went against the overwhelming wishes of the local communities affected and their elected representatives, has yet to be made by the Secretary of State. The case against planning consent is so strong that we remain hopeful common sense will prevail, democracy in local planning will be restored, and that this inappropriate planning consent will finally be over-ruled by the Secretary of State.

Note: The "Called-in planning applications: procedural guide" on gov.uk can be found from this link: Called-in planning applications: procedural guide.

Return to top of page


Big Butterfly Count (15 Jul - 7 Aug)

July 2022

photographphotographphotograph
Speckled Wood, Painted Lady and Peacock. © Elizabeth Cooksey

The Big Butterfly Count is a UK-wide survey aimed at helping us assess the health of our environment simply by counting the amount and type of butterflies (and some day-flying moths) we see.

Sir David Attenborough is President of the charity Butterfly Conservation that runs this important annual count, and Chris Packham and Nick Baker are joint Vice Presidents.

This year's big butterfly count is from 15 July to 7 August and could be something to also get younger members of the family engaged in over the summer holidays. Participants choose a place to spot butterflies and moths. Watch for 15 minutes. Then record which species they see.

There's even a free smartphone app for the big butterfly count (and/or a butterfly ID chart to download) so that you can carry out and submit your count all in one go while out and about watching butterflies. Details at www.bigbutterflycount.org.

SEG's wildlife page has photographs of all 25 butterflies that occur and have been observed in Saltford in recent years - see wildlife page - butterflies.

Return to top of page


Kingfisher Lodge supporting wildlife in Saltford

July 2022

photograph

Kingfisher Lodge Care Home in Saltford has approached SEG for ecological advice on how to make the lodge gardens more wildlife friendly for the enjoyment of some of Saltford's oldest and most vulnerable residents. A site visit was made by a SEG representative on 14th July to meet with the home's general manager Katrina, head of maintenance Iggy, and Customer Relationship manager Michael from Barchester Healthcare, to discuss and look at options.

SPC had agreed beforehand to donate Beebombs to Kingfisher Lodge from its "All you seed is love" wildlife project, supported by SEG and our B&NES Ward Councillors, that helps our pollinating insects through the planting of wildflowers. SPC wants to ensure that "All you seed is love" is inclusive; this positive request from Kingfisher Lodge helps that aim.

During the site visit an area was identified where a small wildflower meadow will be created so that residents will be able to enjoy nature at close hand in the future. Other actions, e.g. nest boxes, native tree planting, and wildlife areas such as log piles, are on the agenda for the home as well as the use of Fairtade products in recognition of Saltford's Fairtrade status.

SEG is delighted that the management of the care home has pro-actively asked for advice and guidance on how to make the gardens more wildlife friendly. We look forward to seeing progress at Kingfisher Lodge in the future.

Return to top of page


EA warns "No nature, no us"

July 2022

In launching a major new Environment Agency report, "Working with Nature", on the state of nature in England, Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive, Environment Agency, on 12 July quoted from Rachel Carson's famous book Silent Spring:-

"There was once a town in the heart of America where all life seemed to live in harmony with its surroundings. Then a strange blight crept over the area. Everywhere was a shadow of death. It was a spring without voices. On the mornings that had once throbbed with the dawn chorus of robins, doves, jays, wrens, and scores of other bird voices there was now no sound; only silence lay over the fields and woods and marsh. No witchcraft, no enemy action had silenced the rebirth of new life in this stricken world. The people had done it themselves."

"Those are the opening lines of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, the 1962 book that sparked the modern environmental movement. Sixty years on we are closer than ever to that silent spring happening. Since we humans and everything we cherish depends on nature, we have the strongest possible interest in avoiding that outcome."

He said that the loss of meadows (97% decrease since the 1930s), wetlands, and woods meant that the decline in those precious habitats has had its inevitable consequence: an equally shocking decline in the plants and animals that depend on them. Since 1970, 41% of our species have decreased in abundance and 15% of all our native species in the island of Britain are now threatened with extinction.

The position is even worse for the mammals, birds, butterflies and moths designated as priority species - those about which we have the greatest concern. They have declined in abundance overall by 61% since 1970.

It's no better for our mammals: several species have undergone drastic reductions in population sizes. Hedgehog numbers have fallen by approximately 66% since 1995 and water voles have done even worse, falling by 78%. Overall, a quarter of mammals in England are now threatened with extinction.

Sir James Bevan also stressed that nature is indivisible and interdependent. Nature provides us with a host of things we depend upon, such as clean water, clean air and food. No nature, no food. It's vital in providing resilience to climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide, regulating local climatic conditions and providing flood protection. No nature, no climate shield. And as humans we depend on green and blue spaces for our own health and well-being. No nature, no us.

The "Working with Nature" report discusses the importance of nature in providing ecosystem services and presents recent and historical trends in biodiversity. It outlines some of the main pressures affecting England's habitats, wildlife and ecosystems: land use; climate change; pollution; invasive non-native species; and hydrological change.

The Environment Agency has worked closely with the Forestry Commission and Natural England in producing the report. It focuses on the opportunity we have to work with nature to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises in England, but refers to the UK or Great Britain where information for England is unavailable.

The report concludes that the consequences of allowing the decline in nature to continue will be grave, threatening the provision of essential ecosystem services such as pollination and water filtration. Since these services underpin our ability to survive and thrive on this planet, it should be viewed as an existential risk.

LINK TO REPORT

"Working with Nature" can be found on the gov.uk website from this link.

Return to top of page


June 2022

River and green space safety this summer - SPC requests support

June 2022

image
Visitors who keep to the Countryside Code and leave no trace of their visit are welcome in Saltford.

Saltford Parish Council (SPC) is aware that the number of visitors coming to Saltford - especially those visiting Saltford's old village, river side areas and nearby green spaces during periods of good weather - has caused issues that are of concern to many.

SPC has approached B&NES Council, Avon Fire & Rescue, and the Keynsham Beat Team for support during the busy summer months.

The Avon Fire and Rescue team at Hicks Gate have informed SPC that they plan to visit Saltford's river side areas to engage with river users about water safety. The Hicks Gate team will also have a stall at the open morning of the Saltford Festival, which is being held at Saltford Hall on Saturday 2nd July, 10am-1pm. Do take this opportunity to discuss your river safety concerns with them then.

You can read more about SPC's requests for support in their Summer 2022 E-Newsletter from this link.

Residents are encouraged to continue to raise issues as appropriate with B&NES Council or other agencies as appropriate, please refer to SPC's very useful Report It page which signposts to areas that B&NES Council and other agencies are responsible for. Topics covered range from Anti-social behaviour, Dog Fouling, and Flytipping to Graffitti, Noise Nuisance and Parking Enforcement.

Return to top of page


Saltford Festival 2nd-10th July

June 2022

photograph
The Festival will include the 1st public display of the 3,000-3,500 year old copper alloy spearhead found in Saltford!

The popular biennial Saltford Festival is returning after a 3 year wait and over a year in the planning. A huge variety of events has been organised for the Festival's 9 days from 2nd to 10th July by Saltford Community Association and many volunteers from across the community.

The programme of Festival events has been delivered to households throughout Saltford. It can also be downloaded from the Saltford Festival website.

The Saltford Heritage Centre will be open on the afternoon of Thursday 7th July from 1.30pm to 3.30pm to coincide with the lunchtime talk by SEG's Andrew Stainer at 12.00-13.00 at Saltford Hall on "The Story of Saltford in 20 Objects" where he will take his audience through over 4,000 years of Saltford's history in just under an hour! Saltford Heritage Centre is on the 1st floor of St Mary's Church Hall, Queen Square, High Street, Saltford BS31 3EL.

The opening of the Saltford Heritage Centre will give residents their first opportunity to see the remarkable 3,000-3,500 year old Bronze Age copper alloy socketed spearhead, the oldest metal object found in Saltford, found on the north side of the village before the pandemic. There will also be on display the Saltford Viking Buckle - another rare and fascinating artefact.

It has been decided by the organisers to uncouple the Old Village Day from the Festival. Traditionally it has always been part of the Festival however, it is now felt they can make it a bigger and better spectacle by affording it more dedicated time. It will now be held on alternate years to the Festival, with the first one planned for 2023.

Return to top of page


Opposition to controversial planning consent grows

June 2022

photograph
The safeguarded Green Belt fields under threat

At its monthly meeting on 7th May, Saltford Parish Council agreed to submit new supplementary evidence concerning the Withies Green planning consent as a further representation to the B&NES Local Plan Partial Update (LPPU) Public Examination that commences on 21st June.

The decision made by B&NES Council's Planning Committee on 4th May to give outline planning consent for 213 houses at Withies Green, Keynsham (application 20/02673/OUT) was despite significant opposition from the local community, Keynsham Town Council, and Saltford Parish Council.

SPC also agreed that it should write to Jacob Rees-Mogg MP urgently asking him to intervene by asking the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to call in for his determination this controversial planning decision and provide to the Secretary of State its LPPU Public Examination representation evidence that supports in detail the case for the call-in. That evidence is available from this link to SPC's website.

SPC was of the view that irrespective of the strong opposition from residents, SPC and KTC, the planning decision contravened NPPF (2021) and the existing B&NES Local Plan whilst undermining the forthcoming Local Plan Partial Update (LPPU) Public Examination concerning the development of this otherwise safeguarded land. This was for the planning policy reasons given in its supplementary representation to the LPPU Public Examination.

The Parish Council felt that public confidence in democracy and the planning process in B&NES for protecting Green Belt and green field land had been seriously undermined.

Keynsham Town Council had made a similar request, as had SEG (as we reported in May). On 1st June, Jacob Rees-Mogg replied to KTC that he had made representations to Michael Gove Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in respect of KTC's request that the planning decision be called in.

We remain hopeful that common sense will prevail, democracy in local planning will be restored, and this inappropriate planning decision will be over-turned.

Don't blight the land that feeds you!

Return to top of page


May 2022

Keynsham Recycling Hub - construction underway

May 2022

B&NES Council has confirmed that contractors have been on site carrying out clearance and preparing for the main construction works which have now started and are due to run until the expected completion date in late 2023.

When complete, the four-hectare site will include a modern recycling centre, a reuse shop for people to donate items for reuse and resale, an MOT centre and an education centre. It will also include an operational hub, providing a central depot for refuse and recycling collection vehicles. The Keynsham Recycling Hub project will also include on-site renewable energy generation.

The existing Reuse and Recycling Centre will remain open as usual during construction.

For future reference, you can find up-to-date information on the project from this link:- Keynsham Recycling Hub.

Return to top of page


Looking after our insects

May 2022

photograph
A Saltford wildflower meadow

Insects are crucial for all life on Earth. Without insects, food chains collapse and ecosystems fail, threatening the existence of all other species, including us humans. So getting involved in protecting them and helping to boost their numbers could not be more important.

We just have to learn to live as part of nature, not apart from it. And the first step is to start looking after the insects, the little creatures that make our shared world go round... Insects are essential for life as we know it. As they become more scarce, our world will slowly grind to a halt, for it cannot function without them. - Professor David Goulson, Silent Earth: Averting the Insect Apocalypse (2022).

Comprising two-thirds of all life on Earth, with a great many species yet to be identified by science, insects do so much for us humans, other wildlife and the environment.

  • Insects pollinate plants, including a large number of our food crops.
  • They serve as the base of the food web, eaten by everything from birds to mammals to fish.
  • They also provide food for human consumption. Millions of people around the world consider them a source of food, as they are packed full of protein, vitamins and minerals.
  • They break down and decompose organic matter, which involves turning dead plants and animals into healthy, fertile soil. This also helps with water purification, and keeps the environment free of harmful waste.

We can all take action for insects at the local level. See our previous news article on World Bee Day for some suggestions; here are some more:-

  • Create a deadwood habitat. Insects and other invertebrates need dead wood, and use it in many different ways. Deadwood habitats don't have to be more complicated than stacking a few logs. Alternatively, a pile of stones or rocks creates a great habitat for insects.
  • In autumn, leave leaf litter on the soil rather than raking it up as it provides vital habitat and food for insects and other invertebrates like worms. For example, butterfly and moth caterpillars spend the winter in leaf litter, pupating there before emerging in the spring. (Leaves also form a natural mulch that suppresses weeds and fertilizes the soil).
  • Buy home-grown native plants rather than plants from abroad for your garden or home. Our insect population eats and thrives on the foliage of native plants and trees whereas non-native plants provide little or no larval food at all. This also helps to prevent invasive species reaching your garden and the countryside.
  • Support your Local Council on action it takes to manage spaces in your locality for insects and other wildlife.

B&NES Council's "Let's Get Buzzing" action including reduced grass mowing schedules on Council owned land to 1 or 2 cuts per year to protect wildlife habitats and biodiversity is a good example of activity we should welcome. Likewise Saltford Parish Council's wildflower project "All you seed is love" is another example of local community action helping our bees and other pollinating insects.

Partial source of text/information for this article: Insect Populations Matter (external web page, 2022).

Return to top of page


World Bee Day (20th May)

May 2022

photograph

20th May is "World Bee Day", an initiative proposed by Slovenia and adopted unanimously by the United Nations Member States in 2017.

In the UK we are losing bees at an alarming rate. Worldwide, many beekeepers take the view that, at the current rate of bee loss, there may now only be very limited time to find a cause and solution to this problem. Insects pollinate, but by far the most effective pollinator is the honey bee.

Fewer bees mean less pollination, less honey and fewer plants. The consequences are damaging our food industry that depends on the health and survival of our bees and threatens to make the food we eat more expensive. Bees underpin food security, sustainable agriculture, and biodiversity, and they significantly contribute to the preservation of a healthy natural environment.

We can make Saltford a haven for pollinators including bees if we all do our bit and adopt some or most of the five actions from the UK's National Pollinator Strategy in the way we manage our gardens and public areas. These are:-

  1. Grow more nectar- and pollen-rich flowers, shrubs and trees.
  2. Leave patches of land to grow wild.
  3. Cut grass less often.
  4. Avoid disturbing or destroying nesting or hibernating insects.
  5. Think carefully about whether to use pesticides.

More information about bees and what you can do to help them can be found on our wildlife page from this link >>

Return to top of page


Request for B&NES Council's premature planning decision to be called-in

May 2022

Following B&NES Council's Planning Committee approval for the outline planning application for the construction of 213 dwellings etc. at Withies Green, Keynsham - see previous news story - on 9th May SEG submitted new evidence to the B&NES Local Plan Partial Update Public Examination.

The evidence explains how B&NES Council has contravened three National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) policies and its own existing Local Plan. SEG's evidence makes the case that B&NES should not pre-empt the Public Examination and contravene the NPPF or remove a parcel of non-safeguarded parcel of Green Belt land as part of an expanded development at Withies Green (known as KE3C in the Local Plan proposals) without the Local Plan review and before the Public Examination of that review has even commenced.

SEG has concluded that B&NES Council has undermined confidence and trust in its own Local Plan and set a dangerous precedent that will be exploited by developers and others that want to develop parcels of land including Green Belt land that are otherwise afforded protection by Local Plan and NPPF policies. B&NES Council's actions in pre-empting and undermining the Public Examination could easily create an unwelcome precedent that other Local Planning Authorities might follow.

Therefore, SEG has asked the Inspector to either recommend that B&NES submits its planning consent decision to the Secretary of State for determination, or that he asks the Secretary of State to call in the decision as a matter of urgency, again for the Secretary of State to determine.

SEG sees this action as essential to protect the Green Belt and the integrity of the B&NES Local Plan.

Even if the additional parcel of Green Belt land included in the overall development is used for recreational purposes, normally an acceptable use of Green Belt land, to change its use and add a parcel of Green Belt to a development this way so as to allow a development to proceed before and without a public consultation in a Local Plan's Public Examination of its review (i.e. update), is unsafe.

It has not been tested if all or some of that "change of use" would be acceptable to the Town Council and B&NES Council in a stand-alone planning application (i.e. without the new housing development).

Outline plans change during construction of the development and to allow a developer to take control of Green Belt land as it develops adjoining land already removed from the Green Belt ahead of the existing Local Plan's timescale, is a further worrying aspect of this case.

UPDATE 21.5.2022

In response to receiving on 9th May a copy of SEG's evidence to the B&NES Local Plan Partial Update Public Examination in respect of the outline planning consent granted for 213 houses at Withies Green, Keynsham, NE Somerset MP Jacob Rees-Mogg has confirmed back to SEG's Chairman that he has made representations on SEG's behalf to Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, in respect of SEG's request that the planning decision be called-in.

Return to top of page


Disappointment as B&NES permits 213 more homes between Keynsham and Saltford

May 2022

photograph
213 houses coming here on this "safeguarded" Green Belt land soon...

Despite nearly 600 objections including robust objections from Saltford Parish Council and Keynsham Town Council, representing the two most directly affected Town/Parish council areas, and from SEG, on 4th May B&NES Council's Planning Committee approved the outline planning application 20/02673/OUT from Mactaggart and Mickel Homes Ltd for the construction of 213 dwellings etc. at Withies Green, Keynsham to the east of Hygge Park (opposite Pixash Lane).

That was by majority decision of 6 Councillors on the Committee voting for and 4 voting against. That decision pre-empts the Local Plan Partial Update Public Examination in June (see previous news story) for which the Inspector in the pre-examination papers has queried the justification for the proposed allocation of this land for development in the Local Plan now. The democratic process allowing local Parish and Town Councils or others to make the case to the Public Examination for preventing such early development before any genuine need to develop it has been proven, has been undermined.

This will be frustrating and very disappointing for the residents of Keynsham, Saltford and the surrounding area as they face the prospect of even more traffic congestion and the loss of more of the area's highly valued local green space that was supposed to be safeguarded against development until at least 2029 in the existing Local Plan.

This highly regrettable outcome is a consequence of a short-sighted and disconnected approach to land use planning resulting from central Government housing targets and planning policies that do not give local planning authorities sufficient headroom to protect the Green Belt and similar green field areas from development.

Few will deny that new homes are required and especially affordable homes for a growing population, but they must be built in appropriate locations and represent genuine sustainable development. The report from CPRE "Recycling our land: the state of brownfield report, 2021" on the state of brown field land in England found that this previously developed land could accommodate over 1.3 million new homes - with a West of England total of 19,994 (not including B&NES).

The construction of many new homes in the West of England including at Keynsham East in recent years has occurred without an increase in green recreational space through the provision of new large public parks to cater for the newly accommodated inhabitants. This already means existing green spaces are inundated with visitors on sunny weekends and Bank Holidays. Local communities are losing access to their local green spaces to increasing visitor influxes whilst riverside wildlife and wildlife habitat takes a heavy toll.

Green fields including the Green Belt and our existing and potential wildlife habitats should not be seen as luxuries but as essential if we are to protect the ecosystems that underpin and protect our food security and everyone's quality of life and mental health in the UK.

As the urgent need to improve food security in the UK is highlighted by a combination of climate change and the recent and ongoing international events significantly reducing the world's food supply, now is not the time to be reducing our options. New housing or mixed-use developments in the Green Belt permanently destroys the potential future use of that land for wildlife recovery in response to the ecological emergency and for food production or food production ecosystem support.

Note: See also the next related news story Request for B&NES Council's premature planning decision to be called-in.

Don't blight the land that feeds you!

Return to top of page


SPC's new evidence for Local Plan Partial Update's Public Examination

May 2022

The B&NES Local Plan Partial Update (LPPU), as submitted to the Secretary of State on 17th December 2021, will be examined for its compliance with statutory requirements and on its soundness by an independent Inspector appointed by the Planning Inspectorate at a Public Examination starting on 21 June. The Inspector will only consider written representations to the Public Examination that contain new evidence to representations already submitted to B&NES Council when B&NES Council consulted on the draft LPPU in 2021 (and will be available to the Inspector).

The B&NES Local Plan, comprising the Core Strategy and Placemaking Plan, provides the strategic planning framework to guide development in B&NES area until 2029.

Saltford Parish Council agreed at its 3rd May meeting new evidence to submit to the Inspector concerning the proposed additional housing developments of 280 dwellings at Keynsham East. The new evidence agreed for submission after the meeting was, in summary, as follows:-

   B&NES Council publicised in January 2022 data revealing that B&NES is far exceeding the housing delivery targets set in its Local Plan to deliver new homes for residents.

   In the three years 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-1 new homes totalling 3,100 including 700 affordable homes were built across the district representing a delivery rate of almost double at 184% of the target of 1,688 set in the Local Plan.

   Despite this success rate in building new homes, B&NES Council is nevertheless proposing to bring forward the building of 280 new homes on safeguarded Green Belt land between Saltford and Keynsham through policy changes in the Local Plan (deleting policy KE3B to bring forward policies KE3C and KE3D) despite the existing harm arising from recent new Local Plan housing developments in Keynsham as described in SPC's original representation of 5.10.2021 (which SEG reported on in October 2021 and endorsed in its own submission to B&NES Council).

   If those unsound policies (KE3C and KE3D) are permitted to proceed, despite B&NES Council's high success rate in building new homes, that will contribute further to severe road congestion in the Keynsham area due to insufficient transport infrastructure whilst losing valuable green space and its potential use for ecological recovery.

   The high proportion of Green Belt and AONB in Bath and NE Somerset puts a responsibility on B&NES Council to protect that land from development and set lower housing delivery targets than the standard method allowed by Government in such situations unless there are fully justified very special circumstances; Saltford Parish Council has seen no evidence that lower targets have been set.

   B&NES has provided no justification or sound evidence of the very special circumstances required (NPPF 2021 para. 140 and 147) to permit the new development proposed for safeguarded Green Belt land (KE3C and KE3D) within the plan period to 2029, i.e. for bringing those developments forward by deleting policy KE3B.

   Those housing developments are unnecessary, do not contribute to sustainable development (i.e., are contrary to the Government's National Planning Policy Framework 2021 paragraphs 8b, 8c, and 143a) and will exacerbate the harm to the local community in and around Keynsham arising from the existing delivered Local Plan developments at Keynsham as described in SPC's original representation.

For ease of reference, SPC's original representation of 5.10.2021 (that SEG endorsed for its consultation response and can be found in our 2021 newsletter archive) was attached as an annex to SPC's submission of the above new evidence. It covered:-

  • housing land supply: the lack of green space (i.e. non-provision of new public parks) to cater for the residents of the new housing in the existing Local Plan resulting in harm to remaining local Green Belt and wildlife habitats;
  • Transport: namely traffic congestion and a consultation request for Saltford Station site options; and
  • Biodiversity net gain: higher targets, use of local knowledge, and implementation timing.

LPPU's public examination information can be found on the B&NES website from this link >>. The deadline for submission of new evidence is 6th June.

Return to top of page


Saltford plants community orchard and wildlife area to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

May 2022

photograph
Some of the newly planted Saltford Community Orchard trees (May 2022)

SEG is delighted to announce the beginnings of a small community orchard and wildlife area in Saltford to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee that hopefully can be enjoyed by the community for many decades into the future.

photograph
photograph
Aimee helping make her dream become a reality as the first trees are planted (30 April 2022) and during an initial Beebomb spreading session with local friends (7 May 2020)

In October 2021 8-year-old local schoolgirl Aimee Phillips made a suggestion to SEG, the Parish Council and others for a small community orchard in Saltford to be established on the sports field. SEG looked into this and approached Saltford Sports Club to see if the location Aimee had identified would work in practice. There were practical reasons to avoid the area suggested by Aimee but her suggestion was excellent in principle and merited further consideration.

Saltford Sports Club was already wanting to take part in the Parish Council's wildflower project "All you seed is love". After discussions with SEG, the south-facing northeast corner of the sports field was identified as a suitable location to create a community orchard along the lines of a traditional orchard (*see footnote for description) with a wildflower area at its south-facing border, seeded by Beebombs provided by Saltford Parish Council. The retention of mature trees and some scrub will provide complimentary natural habitat and food sources for invertebrates and other wildlife.

Plans were developed jointly by SEG and the sports club to create a Saltford Community Orchard and Wildlife area, and to be planted this year to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Permission to proceed was obtained from the landowner, B&NES Council, that is also willing to provide further wildflower seeds and considers this as a worthy contribution to its objective for supporting pollinating insects and its "Let's Get Bees Buzzing" campaign.

During April Sports Club volunteers cleared back scrub and removed turf using a digger provided by Podium Renovations Ltd. This has created the best environment for wildflowers to flourish. On 30th April 6 apple trees were planted and more trees will be planted in the autumn. The first batch of Beebombs were spread by local children on 7th May; other local children will be involved by the Sports Club in spreading more. SEG has been pleased to provide sponsorship support for the project.

As the project develops and matures, Saltford Sports Club and SEG with the help of volunteers from the village, will maintain the community orchard and wildlife area for the benefit of Saltford's local community and wildlife. A small footpath through the orchard will be maintained to link with the existing footpath on the eastern flank of the sports field and an oak bench will be installed by the Sports Club.

*WHAT IS A TRADITONAL ORCHARD?
Traditional orchards are a long-established and widely distributed habitat and make a significant contribution to biodiversity - they are described by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan as "hot spots for biodiversity". The minimum size of a traditional orchard is defined as five trees with spacing between each tree larger and managed in a low intensity way. That contrasts with orchards managed intensively for fruit production through the input of pesticides and inorganic fertilisers and consisting of short-lived, high-density, dwarf or bush fruit trees. Traditional orchards are a composite habitat (similar to wood-pasture and parkland), defined by their structure rather than vegetation type, which can include trees, scrub, grassland, ponds, walls, hedgerows and hedgerow trees.

Return to top of page


April 2022

Saltford Councillors meet with WECA and B&NES officials at station site

April 2022 (updated June 2022)

photograph

SPC and Ward Councillors (Cllrs Chris Warren, Phil Harding, Jon Godfrey and Duncan Hounsell) met with transport officials from the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) and B&NES Council on 22 April at the station site to summarise the case for re-opening the station on the existing site and to discuss the SPC request for WECA to fund the £70K feasibility study.

WECA's David Jarman advised the meeting that any decision on a feasibility study for Saltford would need to await the outcome of the current Greater Bristol Strategic Rail Study involving Network Rail and GWR; the study report would include new station options and was due around the end of May when a copy would be supplied to B&NES Council.

UPDATE (June 2022)
WECA's David Jarman has since confirmed that the Greater Bristol Strategic Rail Study report would not now be completed until July 2022 and the recommendations and proposed next steps would be shared by September 2022.

Return to top of page


Sir David Attenborough declared UN "Champion of the Earth"

April 2022

photograph

Congratulations to legendary wildlife filmmaker and zoologist Sir David Attenborough who has been given the UN Environment Programme's most illustrious title, Champion of the Earth. This Lifetime Achievement award was made in celebration of "Earth Day" on Friday 22nd April. The title was granted in recognition of his "outsized impact on the global environmental movement and his devotion to broadcasting the natural world."

Accepting the award, Sir David said the world must take action now to protect nature and the planet. He said that environmental success stories should give us hope that change is possible, "we know what the problems are and we know how to solve them. All we lack is unified action."

Sir David has been particularly articulate in communicating the need for world leaders and all of us to take action to protect nature and the ecosystems on which we all depend. Here are just six examples of statements from Sir David that he made in recent years:-

   I started making television programmes in the 1950s. There are now three times as many people living in the world as there were then. Three times as many! They all need places to live and roads for their cars and hospitals and schools and places to grow food. Where is that going to come from? In the most part, it is going to come from the natural world, so the natural world is steadily being impoverished. The situation is becoming more and more dreadful and still our population continues to increase. It's about time that the human population of the world came to its senses and saw what we are doing - and did something about it (2018)

   We use plastic with total abandon without any care or concern about where it's going to go and what it might do

   All our environmental problems become easier to solve with fewer people and harder, and ultimately impossible to solve, with ever more people

   In times of crisis the natural world is a source of joy and solace. It produces the comfort that can come from nothing else

   We pay little value on nature even though it is our essential life support system

   Cherish the natural world because you're part of it and you depend on it

First held on April 22, 1970, "Earth Day" is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It is an annual reminder to protect the environment, restore damaged ecosystems and live a more sustainable life.

Return to top of page


2022 Big Garden Birdwatch results

April 2022

photograph

The results for the 2022 Big Garden Birdwatch held on the weekend of 28 - 30 January are now published by the RSPB. Do they match what was in your garden? The top ten most commonly observed birds across the UK were (change on last year's position in brackets):-

   1. House Sparrow (=)
   2. Blue Tit (=)
   3. Starling (=)
   4. Wood Pigeon (+1)
   5. Blackbird (-1)
   6. Robin (=)
   7. Goldfinch (+1)
   8. Great Tit (-1)
   9. Magpie (=)
   10. Chaffinch (+1)

Top spot goes to the House Sparrow for the 19th year running! However, the RSPB say it's vital we continue to look out for sparrows as there are far fewer around now, down 57.9% since the first Birdwatch in 1979. The population has declined so much that they are on the UK Red List for birds - any further declines would be devastating.

697,735 people counted 11,556,046 birds this year. The Long-tailed Tit has dropped off the top 10 list, replaced by the Chaffinch that has gained a place from 11th in 2021 but nevertheless its numbers have declined by 68.3% since 1979. As our winters become milder due to climate change, more are over-wintering in the UK instead of flying to southern Europe and North Africa for winter. Blackbirds were spotted in 85% of gardens making them the most commonly recorded birds.

Over the last 50 years, since 1970, 40 million birds have vanished from the UK's skies. And it's not just birds that are suffering according to the RSPB. The (latest) State of Nature 2019 report (link to report) found that around two-fifths of UK species are in decline including Turtle Doves, Red Squirrels and Water Voles.

The reasons behind these declines are complex. The State of Nature 2019 report stated that "agricultural management, climate change, hydrological change, urbanisation, pollution, woodland management and invasive non-native species" were among the most significant of pressures acting upon terrestrial and freshwater wildlife. It also reported "At sea, climate change and fishing are having the most significant impact upon marine biodiversity."

More information on the results of the 2022 Birdwatch can be found on the RSPB website. You can also find more information on social media using the hashtag #BigGardenBirdWatch.

A full list of the 102 birds that are presently of regular occurrence in Saltford with ID links to the RSPB website for each species can be found on our Wildlife page >>

Return to top of page


IPCC: The next few years are critical

April 2022

photograph

In 2010-2019 average annual global greenhouse gas emissions were at their highest levels in human history, but the rate of growth has slowed. Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, limiting global warming to 1.5 deg C is beyond reach. However, there is increasing evidence of climate action, said scientists in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released on 4th April. The evidence shows that the time for action is now.

In the scenarios assessed by IPPC in its Working Group III contribution "Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of climate change" to the Sixth Assessment Report (Note: Working Group III deals with mitigation), limiting global warming to around 1.5 deg C requires global greenhouse gas emissions to peak before 2025 at the latest, and be reduced by 43% by 2030; at the same time methane would also need to be reduced by about a third. Even if we do this, it is almost inevitable that we will temporarily exceed this temperature threshold but could return to below it by the end of the century.

"We are at a crossroads. The decisions we make now can secure a liveable future. We have the tools and know-how required to limit warming," said IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee. "I am encouraged by climate action being taken in many countries. There are policies, regulations and market instruments that are proving effective. If these are scaled up and applied more widely and equitably, they can support deep emissions reductions and stimulate innovation."

The report states that limiting global warming will require major transitions in the energy sector. This will involve a substantial reduction in fossil fuel use, widespread electrification, improved energy efficiency, and use of alternative fuels (such as hydrogen).

"Having the right policies, infrastructure and technology in place to enable changes to our lifestyles and behaviour can result in a 40-70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This offers significant untapped potential," said IPCC Working Group III Co-Chair Priyadarshi Shukla. "The evidence also shows that these lifestyle changes can improve our health and wellbeing."

You can find information about the UN IPCC Working Group III report "Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of climate change" on the IPCC website www.ipcc.ch.

The timing of this IPCC report is critical as mainland Europe considers reverting to carbon-rich coal and increasing oil and gas imports from non-Russian producers as a response to the devastating war in Ukraine and turmoil in the international energy market. There is growing and widespread political acceptance that cheap, sustainable renewable energy* is the only means to powering modern economies that are free from Russian fossil fuel imports. Curbing demand through energy efficiency and low carbon lifestyles has to be part of the equation if we are to avoid dangerous climate change.

   *According to the World Energy Forum (October 2021, before the war in Ukraine massively increased fossil fuel prices), renewable energy prices have fallen far more quickly than the industry anticipated and are fast becoming cheaper than fossil fuels. A rapid transition to emissions-free 'green' energy could save many trillions of dollars in energy costs and help combat climate change.

Return to top of page


Walking through Saltford's Geological Past - now at Saltford Library

April 2022

image

The circular geology trail fully illustrated walking guide produced in 2021 for Saltford so that residents and visitors can explore the local geology for themselves is proving highly popular. The full colour printed version is now available at just £1 a copy from Saltford Community Library & Shop - visit this link for opening times etc.

A pdf version can be downloaded from SEG's Walks of Saltford page (History of Saltford project).

Return to top of page


March 2022

Energy prices shooting up - some quick tips to save energy & money

March 2022

image

Tomorrow (1st April) the gas and electricity unit prices we pay in the home shoot up (so it might be worth taking meter readings today, 31st March, to help you avoid paying the higher rate for your winter consumption). If you want to reduce your home energy consumption (and costs) our energy page has links to sources of impartial advice, grants etc.

Here are some quick energy savings tips from our energy page:-

Turn it down!
- turning your heating thermostat down by just one degree C can save 8-10% on your annual heating bill (wear a jumper if you're cold!)

Turn it off!
- turn your lights, appliances and chargers off when you're not using them

Boil what you need!
- only boil the amount of water you need for each cuppa to save money and time

Walk (or cycle) more, drive less!
- saves you money and improves your health

Avoid packaging!
- unnecessary packaging wastes energy and money - and creates more waste

Stop those drips!
- a dripping tap wastes at least 5,500 litres of water a year (enough to fill a paddling pool every week for the whole summer), so fix that washer

Shorter, sharper showers!
- spending less time in the shower saves water, energy and money

Launder it all!
- always try to use a full load in a washing machine

Cook with care!
- use correct pan size for your food and the hob

Don't put hot food in the fridge!
- let it cool down first

Defrost food in the fridge!
- plan ahead and this will enable you to utilise the cooling effect of the defrosting food

Return to top of page


Great River Avon Pick - Saltford

March 2022

photograph

Members from Saltford Wombles getting ready to litter pick on the morning of Saturday 26th March for the Great River Avon Pick (@AvonRiverPick organised by B&NES Council) on the Saltford stretch of the river. Local Womble groups litter-picked along the River Avon and Kennet & Avon Canal. This annual litter pick shows there is #noplaceforlitter.

Return to top of page


Defending the Green Belt when planning policy falls short

March 2022

When defending the Green Belt from inappropriate development, the Planning Inspectors' decision in February to overturn North Somerset Council's rejection of the 20% expansion of Bristol Airport reminds us of this unfortunate fact:-

National planning policy has not caught up yet with other national policies and objectives; the climate and ecological emergencies and the related issue of food security demand a longer-term approach to land use planning than national planning policies currently provide.

Until planning law and guidance is amended to comply with those long-term environmental commitments and objectives, Planning Officers in Local Planning Authorities and Planning Inspectors will find themselves with no alternative than to follow out-dated planning law and guidance as it stands rather than meeting longer term objectives. "If they do anything else, at present they will be overturned in the Courts" - to quote from a recent online article by David Worskett, Chair of CPRE Avon and Bristol, concerning the Bristol Airport case (link to article at end of this item).

If we are to be effective, those of us seeking to defend the Green Belt will need to continue to develop and explain our case based on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) despite its inadequacies. SEG's case for a "new" purpose of the Green Belt that should be added to the NPPF, "to provide ecosystem, i.e. natural capital, support to farmland and/or the wider natural environment", is more valid than ever, and is in line with other Government policy statements and commitments that specifically seek to protect ecology.

Fortunately the NPPF purposes of the Green Belt to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas; preventing neighbouring towns merging into one another; safeguarding the countryside from encroachment; to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land apply, in the main, to the Green Belt around Saltford and Keynsham.

Green fields including the Green Belt and our existing and potential wildlife habitats are not a luxury but are essential if we are to protect the ecosystems that underpin and protect our food security and everyone's quality of life in the UK.

NOTE:
The online article by David Worskett "Bristol Airport: What really went wrong" can be found on the CPRE website from this link >>

Return to top of page


SPC seeks station support funding from WoE Mayor

March 2022

logo
Image © SEG

At its 1st March meeting Saltford Parish Council (SPC) resolved to write to West of England Mayor Dan Norris to ask the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) to fund the £70k required to enable the proposed feasibility study to go ahead as soon as possible. The letter was sent on 13th March.

Benefits of a re-opened Saltford station include:

  • Helping address the significant road congestion concerns along the A4 Bristol-Bath corridor
  • Complement MetroBus+
  • Encourage commuter traffic onto sustainable public transport
  • Assist in futureproofing against extreme congestion in the years ahead
  • Contribute to carbon reduction and achieving Net Zero

Return to top of page


SPC raises issue of unfair bus fares

March 2022

At its 1st March meeting Saltford Parish Council (SPC) resolved to contact First Bus with regards to its unreasonable fares for Saltford's residents, requesting that the company removes Saltford from its 'West of England' fare zone and instead extends both the Bristol travel zone and Bath travel zone to overlap in Saltford. A previous unsuccessful approach to First Bus to resolve this issue was made by SPC in 2019.

SPC Chair Cllr Chris Warren met with Jacob Rees-Mogg MP on 11th March who agreed to raise this matter with First West of England directors at his forthcoming planned meeting with them.

On 13th March Cllr Chris Warren wrote on behalf of SPC to First Bus' Managing Director Doug Claringbold making the point that Saltford's residents experience the pollution, traffic and noise that arises from First Bus using the Bristol-Bath corridor without experiencing the benefits of Saltford being included in the Bristol Zone, Bath Zone or both.

The letter requested that First Bus includes Saltford as a point where both zones meet, or alternatively that that First West of England treat the Bristol-Bath corridor as one zone and price according to a single zone or based on distance. The 'significant revenue implications' as referred to previously by First Bus of such action would be more than made up by an uptake of users in Saltford once fare pricing to our nearby cities is less of a financial barrier.

The letter stated that SPC stood by its previous statement that Saltford is being singled out and being treated as a means of revenue for First Bus without proper and fair consideration. SPC asked that fare zones be reviewed so that Saltford residents can benefit from cost-effective travel to its nearby cities of Bristol and Bath.

SEG strongly supports SPC's request that Saltford be treated more fairly so that residents have a cost-effective, low carbon public transport alternative to the car for travelling into Bath and Bristol.

Click here to see the full text of the SPC letter to First Bus (on SPC's website).

Return to top of page


Annual Saltford Dawn Chorus Walk, 24th April

March 2022

photograph

After a break due to the Covid pandemic, the annual Dawn Chorus Walk in Saltford is returning this year.

The Keynsham Branch of the Avon Wildlife Trust will be listening to, and watching, the birds get up after a night's roosting for this year's Dawn Chorus Walk on Sunday 24th April 4.30am - 8.00am, starting at Saltford Shallows car park.

This is a great way to learn how to identify from their songs the many birds that are found in Saltford. Songs of all common species will be pointed out and their identification features clarified. The walk will be along part of the railway path cycle track (and back). Wrap up warm as it can be very cold that early. Binoculars and a bird identification guide will be helpful for once it gets light. Above all you need good ears to be able to pick out the 30+ different species the annual walk normally finds! A hot flask of your favourite beverage is recommended.

This event is free but an optional donation of £1 to support Avon Wildlife Trust funds is suggested.

For further information and to confirm your attendance, contact Dave Sage on mobile 07899--716068 the week before the event.

Return to top of page


UN Treaty to end plastic pollution is coming!

March 2022

Almost 200 UN member countries have agreed to commence negotiations for an international agreement to act on the "plastic crisis" by developing an over-arching framework to reduce plastic waste across the planet. World leaders have until 2024 to agree the plastic pollution treaty; the treaty will include legally binding commitments and how implementation will be financed.

There is a widespread and growing awareness that discarded plastic is polluting habitats including our soils, rivers and oceans*, harming wildlife and contaminating the food chain with as yet unforeseen consequences for human health from the latter. *(8 million tonnes of plastic is dumped in the sea every year according to Sir David Attenborough in Blue Planet 2).

WWF has described this decision as one of the world's most ambitious environmental actions since the 1989 Montreal Protocol that successfully phased out ozone-depleting substances. As our plastic consumption is set to skyrocket, it's clear that urgent action is needed. Even banning avoidable single use plastic cups and cutlery could make the real difference we need to protect the planet, according to WWF.

Let's hope the new Treaty, when agreed, is effective. It needs to be.

Return to top of page


Green fields and wildlife habitats are not luxuries, but essential

March 2022

image

Human-induced climate change is causing dangerous and widespread disruption in nature and affecting the lives of billions of people around the world, despite efforts to reduce the risks. People and ecosystems least able to cope are being hardest hit, said scientists in the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published on 28 February.

The report states that to avoid mounting loss of life, biodiversity and infrastructure, ambitious, accelerated action is required to adapt to climate change, at the same time as making rapid, deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. So far, progress on adaptation is uneven and there are increasing gaps between action taken and what is needed to deal with the increasing risks.

Hoesung Lee, the IPCC Chair, in announcing the report said "This report recognises the interdependence of climate, biodiversity and people and integrates natural, social and economic sciences more strongly than earlier IPCC assessments. It emphasizes the urgency of immediate and more ambitious action to address climate risks. Half measures are no longer an option."

This latest report from the IPCC reminds us here in Saltford that in addition to the need to urgently respond to the challenges posed by climate change and the ecological emergency, green fields including the Green Belt and our existing and potential wildlife habitats should not be seen as luxuries but essential if we are to protect the ecosystems that underpin and protect our food security and everyone's quality of life in the UK.

Link: The IPPC website can be found here: www.ipcc.ch.

Return to top of page


February 2022

Be aware of unsafe trees after Storm Eunice

February 2022

image
Longwood after Storm Eunice

Sooty Bark Disease (SBD - Cryptostroma corticale) affects maples, especially Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) trees, and several at all stages of the disease from lightly infected (only one or two branches dead within the crown) to fully dead can be found in Longwood at present.

Infected trees can topple at short notice and the recent high winds associated with Storm Eunice has broken off limbs or toppled some of the infected trees in Longwood. The photograph above shows one large example that has fallen against another tree before it collapses completely. Members and other residents are therefore urged to take extra caution when walking the permissive path through Longwood (and to obviously avoid the wood during or immediately after a storm).

There is more information about SBD on our wildlife page >>

Return to top of page


Mead Lane riverbank stabilisation scheme degraded by boat moorings

February 2022

image
Mead Lane stabilisation scheme under construction, 2005

A new engineering report on the stability and condition of the riverbank at Mead Lane in Saltford has revealed worrying evidence that the stability of the riverbank is being undermined by the mooring of boats following the installation of an extensive stabilisation scheme in 2005 which was not designed to accommodate boat moorings.

A previous report "Atkins riverbank mooring assessment report (28.9.2020)" commissioned from Atkins by B&NES Council in 2020 had omitted to cover key issues, in particular the condition of the stabilisation scheme's rock armour below the waterline.

The multi-disciplined engineering company Jubb Consulting Engineers Ltd of Bristol were commissioned in 2021 by residents to undertake an independent survey of the condition of the riverbank with particular reference to the condition below the waterline. Residents were concerned that the mooring of heavy boats (narrow boats etc.) permitted and encouraged by B&NES Council during and since its 2016/17 mooring trial in Mead Lane, had damaged and, potentially, de-stabilised the riverbank.

Sonar depth soundings were taken below water level and offset from the edge of riverbank in September 2021 and recorded for the highly detailed and technical 51-page Jubb report "Riverbank Stability & Condition Assessment - Bath Avon at Mead Lane, Saltford (December 2021)". The comprehensive illustrated report includes crucial answers to 3 key questions that were not covered by the 2020 Atkins report. Those were as follows:-

Q1. Whether the 2005 stabilisation works were designed or intended to accommodate multiple mooring of boats

Jubb response:

This would require confirmation from the original designer; however, it is unlikely that ad-hoc moorings (driven steel bars and the like) would have been anticipated, particularly so in the geotextile and rock armour, which as evidenced by the findings of this report, has degraded.

Halcrow do discuss the provision of staging and pontoons in their design options report, but there is no mention of direct moorings, such as driven stakes and bars.

It should be noted that pontoons were located and remain at the Sailing Club end of Mead Lane, just beyond the stabilisation works, whilst the small staging points occur in two places and were left in place by the works.

Q2. To advise on any damage or deterioration that may have since occurred to the 2005 stabilisation works

Jubb response:

There is evidence the 14-day mooring area has degraded, with the rock armour stone now at a steeper angle than designed. Also, there is an approx. 0.5m high scour scarp present in the same area, that is absent in the control section and largely so in the 48-hour / prohibited mooring zone.

Halcrow's design options report specifically addresses previous scour scarps and we believe the design intent was to prevent these from developing.

Q3. Whether any damage could occur in the future through inappropriate use of the riverbank

Jubb response:

Inappropriate use of the riverbank, such as the continued mooring of narrow and other boats, could result is loss of habitat and exacerbation of the scarp / scour feature, which appears to have formed since the 2004/5 works.

Jubb was also asked to review and comment on the content of the Atkins 2020 report.

Jubb response:

The Atkins report has been reviewed in the body text of this report. It is noted no river side, or bathymetry surveys were undertaken, which are important considerations.

The report concludes the riverbank is essentially stable and that areas of noted deterioration are not of immediate concern.

As noted above, we do not agree with Atkins where they conclude that the rock armour has promoted sediment accumulation and horizontal vegetation growth. Our findings are that except in the area protected by a large Willow (Transect 1) and the farthest downstream section (approaching the sailing club), the original 2004/5 remedial works have been degraded somewhat and an approx. 0.5m scour scarp is now present where the Halcrow design included a driven stake and coir roll intended to promote vegetation establishment.

Example from Jubb report of rock armour condition (at Transect 2):

Here, the armour stone was loose and there was evidence of boats grounding and damaging the stone (see plates 6 & 7). The armour is irregular and loosened, with voided areas where stone has been displaced into the river channel.

The survey shows the rock armour stone here is over-steepened at 58 degrees, well beyond the designed angle of repose and that at which the stone can remain stable in the medium to long term.

[END OF REPORT EXTRACTS]

On 2.2.2022 residents sought a meeting with B&NES Council's Chief Executive to discuss the contents and implications of the Jubb report prior to its release to third parties and has since sanctioned SEG's release of the key report findings as given in this news report. For private ownership and technical reasons (pdf is 71MB!) SEG is unable to provide copies in response to enquiries.

SEG has always recognised the need to improve facilities for the mooring of boats on the river that provide safe and appropriate moorings for the live-aboard community and other boat users whilst protecting the natural environment.

However, when B&NES Cabinet took the decision in September 2020 to end moorings in Mead Lane by 31.12.2022, SEG was concerned that the 2+ year timescale to end moorings meant a prolonged period of risk to the riverbank's rock armour and stability when its condition below the waterline was not known. The rock armour could clearly be seen to be displaced or missing from most stretches of the area used for moorings and this new report confirms that "the original 2004/5 remedial works have been degraded".

The full extent of the structural damage could not be measured in September 2021 by Jubb due to the large number of moored boats in situ thus constraining access. As soon as the mooring ban is implemented by B&NES Council, a full structural survey and the implementation of repairs is therefore necessary before even further repairs are required to protect the adjacent highway, the original objective of the rock armour stabilisation scheme.

It is reasonable to surmise that the longer moorings are permitted to continue, the bigger the bill for repairs is likely to be for Council Taxpayers and the greater the risks to all river and riverbank users.

UPDATE (2.3.2022)

Residents passed an electronic (pdf) copy of the Jubb report to B&NES Council on 23rd February. In response to an approach from The Week In a B&NES Council spokesperson said "The council is aware of the independent survey and has recently received a copy. We will be assessing the information over the coming weeks."

BACKGROUND INFORMATION (as published on SEG's website)

  • Mead Lane riverbank stabilisation scheme and boat moorings - Halcrow Design report summary sent to B&NES Council (October 2019) LINK >>
  • Mead Lane moorings ban (January 2020) LINK >>
  • Mead Lane - B&NES Cabinet agrees to end moorings by December 2022 (October 2020) LINK >>
  • B&NES installs new NO MOORING signs in Mead Lane (July 2021) LINK >>
  • Safety concerns as B&NES defers winter mooring ban in Mead Lane (July 2021) LINK >>

Return to top of page


B&NES Council backed loans for home energy improvements

February 2022

Residents looking to make essential repairs or home improvements to decarbonise their homes may be able to access affordable finance through a council-backed loan scheme. B&NES Council is working with Lendology, a social enterprise lender, to offer residents low-cost Energy Loans to fund energy-related home improvements - this could prove very useful at a time of fast rising energy costs.

Homeowners who quality for a low-cost Energy Loan can use the money to help spread the cost of installing energy-saving improvements over time. Residents can apply for a loan between £500 - £15,000, with a repayment term between six months and 15 years. The interest rate (4.2% APR) is fixed throughout the term of the loan.

Information on the loans and how to apply can be found on the council's Energy at Home webpage.

Return to top of page


Fairtrade Fortnight - Coffee Morning 21st Feb

February 2022

image

To mark Fairtrade Week, Saltford's Fairtrade Group has arranged a coffee morning for 10.30am - 12.00pm on Monday 21st February at Saltford Hall.

A warm welcome awaits you, with coffee, tea, and cake and a raffle. (Free Entry).

If you are available, come along and help us celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight.

See our Fairtrade page for more information about Fairtrade.

Choosing Fairtrade products helps ensure better prices and improved working conditions for farmers and their communities in the developing world.

Return to top of page


Saltford water recycling centre - access improvement work

February 2022

photograph

Wessex Water has provided an update on its proposal to build a bridge over the River Avon to improve access to Saltford Water Recycling Centre (WRC) on Mead Lane, and provide a main transport connection to the A431 road, which runs through Swineford and Bitton. The planning application to B&NES Council for the bridge was approved subject to conditions in December 2021, following an application process that also received response comments about the proposals from the public. Wessex Water is currently working through those conditions.

The next phase of the project will see environmental preparation begin on site for the route of the road, ahead of the main construction phase. This is expected to start during February 2022 and will involve work on trees and some hedgerow removal at the point where the new road will join the A431.

Wessex Water are also proposing wetland habitat creation and are continuing to work with local wildlife groups and others to identify habitat measures, including supporting bat and bird species.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Wessex Water has a dedicated web page for this project:- WW - Saltford Access.

Saltford Parish Council has more information about the works as they progress on its website:- SPC - Saltford WRC works.

Return to top of page


January 2022

B&NES Council exceeds new homes target by +84%!

January 2022

Latest figures from the Government's annual Housing Delivery Test (HDT) which assesses whether the number of houses built meet a district's housing needs as identified in the Local Plan show that B&NES Council is far exceeding the targets set in its Local Plan to deliver new homes for residents.

In the past three years (2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-1) 3,100 new homes, including 700 affordable homes were built across the district representing a delivery rate of almost double at 184% of the target of 1,688 set in the Local Plan.

Councillor Tim Ball, Cabinet Member for Planning said: "This is great news for residents as it shows we're delivering on our commitment to address the housing crisis and meet housing needs across the district. It highlights the importance of having an up-to-date Local Plan in place with sites allocated for new housing and shows just how well our Planning team is performing determining applications quickly and efficiently."

Councillor Tom Davies, Cabinet Member for Adults and Council House Building, added: "Having confirmation that we are exceeding the Housing Delivery Test target is great news but we know we still need to do more. This year we're on course to deliver even more affordable homes as we begin our first council house building programme for a generation to provide much-needed social homes for rent to meet demand."

Residents in Saltford and Keynsham will be wondering why, in view of this success rate in building new homes, B&NES Council is currently proposing to bring forward the building of 280 new homes on safeguarded Green Belt land between Saltford and Keynsham in the draft Local Plan Partial Update (LPPU). This updates parts of the existing Development Plan (the Core Strategy and Placemaking Plan) that forms the planning strategy for growth in B&NES from 2014 to 2029. If that goes ahead, this will contribute further to road congestion in the Keynsham area whilst losing valuable green space and potential use of this land for ecological recovery.

The draft Local Plan Partial Update will be considered by an examination Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State in the coming weeks.

We reported in November (2021) that CPRE, in its annual survey report "Recycling our land: the state of brownfield report, 2021", had revealed that for England previously developed land could accommodate over 1.3 million new homes - an increase of almost 10% on 2020 - whilst the proportion of brownfield plots with planning permission currently is the lowest since records began - down from 53% last year to 44% now. The report gives a South West region available brownfield capacity of 68,081 housing units.

NOTE:
For the Housing Delivery Test results on the gov.uk website click on this link:- gov.uk/government/...

Return to top of page


Stargazing location guide

January 2022

Do you like the idea of a bit of star gazing but not sure where to go to get away from the glare of streetlights? The Avon and Bristol Branch of CPRE (The Countryside Charity) have a new free leaflet that will give you some ideas for star gazing locations in the Bristol and Bath area.

You can download the free pdf guide produced with the help of local astronomers from this external link: CPRE - Stargazing Locations.

Return to top of page


SEG and SPC object to 70 more homes at Keynsham East on former Green Belt land

January 2022

photograph

On the evening of 4th January 2022 Saltford Parish Council agreed its objection response to the outline planning application ref. 21/05471/OUT for 70 homes etc. near Minsmere Road in Keynsham from Taylor Wimpey. On 5th January 2022 SEG submitted its objection response to B&NES Council.

The wording of SEG's response was as follows:-

   Saltford Environment Group objected to the previous planning application for this site, 18/02899/OUT, as other new developments in the Core Strategy followed by identification of a genuine need for further housing had not been completed whilst new or enhanced infrastructure (especially transport) was not already in place and found to be coping with the recent newly created demands placed on it. That situation as described in 2018 remains whilst traffic congestion in Keynsham and the surrounding area has continued to worsen considerably.

   The Prime Minister publicly stated on 6th October 2021 that new homes should be built on brown field sites where homes make sense, NOT green field sites. He said: "you can also see how much room there is to build the homes that young families need in this country. Not on green fields, not just jammed in the South East, but beautiful homes on brown field sites in places where homes make sense." Furthermore, CPRE's recent report "Recycling our land: the state of brownfield report, 2021" found that previously developed land could accommodate over 1.3 million new homes in England - an increase of almost 10% on 2020.

   SEG therefore asks B&NES Council to adhere to Government planning policy as explained by the Prime Minister and refuse this planning application. B&NES Council should negotiate with WECA on a sub-regional approach to ecological recovery, i.e., via ecological recovery and development land trading, an approach recently welcomed by the Minister of State for Housing in his letter to Jacob Rees-Mogg MP of 10th December 2021 (copy available from SEG on request). This will enable the West of England to meet housing need (not demand) in places where homes make sense, as identified by CPRE, whilst protecting biodiversity and the green fields and Green Belt land in the West of England for ecological recovery and protecting food security etc.

   The UK is one of the world's most nature-depleted countries being in the bottom 10% globally and last among the G7 group of nations, with an average of just 53% of its native wildlife intact (source: Natural History Museum's Biodiversity Trends Explorer report, October 2021). It is essential therefore to meet new housing need where it makes sense on brown field sites whilst protecting from development existing green field and Green Belt land to optimise that land for ecological recovery to help reverse the catastrophic losses of the UK's native wildlife. That would be a positive response to the ecological emergency from the West of England and B&NES Council; any further destruction of existing and potential wildlife habitats is not sustainable development.

   SEG agrees with the comments from Saltford Parish Council in its response to this planning application that new public parks, not just small, grassed areas with a few trees, should accompany and be located in the immediate vicinity of new housing developments. This would help ensure existing green spaces such as those along the River Avon valley are not inundated with high numbers of visitors including day-trippers exceeding the visitor capacity of those locations on hot weather weekends and disrupting or destroying wildlife habitat in the process; this has increasingly been the experience of recent years.

   In summary, Keynsham and the surrounding area's woefully inadequate transport infrastructure needs to be improved and Keynsham already lacks sufficient green space for both ecological/wildlife recovery (a local and national priority) and for recreation, as a result of new developments in recent years.

   There are no exceptional circumstances to justify this proposed inappropriate development. SEG also agrees with Saltford Parish Council's observation that B&NES Council should not pre-empt the Inspector's findings on the forthcoming public examination of the proposed LPPU for this and other parcels of land in Keynsham by permitting this application. Such a decision would call into question the legitimacy of B&NES Council's local planning process, particularly on a controversial development like this that has gained widespread opposition from the local community during the LPPU consultation and the previous planning application for this site (18/02899/OUT).

[END]

SEG members and others wishing to comment on this planning application (deadline is 21 January 2022) can follow this link and key 21/05471/OUT into the B&NES Development Control web page search box: LINK >>. If you encounter difficulties with the B&NES website you can email your objection/comments to: [email link] but make sure you include the reference number for this planning application (21/05471/OUT).

Make sure you include in your objection your own personal planning reasons for why you do not want this development to be permitted, for example:

  • the traffic congestion arising from existing new developments already experienced including regular gridlocks;
  • insufficient local services and infrastructure including transport infrastructure;
  • protection of local green spaces is important for ecological recovery and for the quality of life of local residents - especially with more home-working during and after COVID-19;
  • this land was safeguarded for future use AFTER the existing planned developments had been completed AND IF a review by B&NES Council found further development in this area was needed or appropriate;
  • the Local Planning Authority (B&NES Council) should respect and adhere to HM Government planning policy by working with other LPAs in the West of England to ensure new housing developments etc. in the area are built on brownfield sites where new homes make sense, not on green field sites;
  • etc.

UPDATE
By the comment deadline (21.1.2022) B&NES Council had received 231 objections from local residents in Keynsham and Saltford.

Return to top of page


Big Garden Birdwatch 28 - 30 Jan

January 2022

photograph

Big Garden Birdwatch is for everyone, whether you're a complete beginner or a birding expert. Simply count the birds you see in your garden, from your balcony or in your local park for one hour between 28 and 30 January 2022.

Taking part is easy and this is a great chance to sit back, relax and watch birds and other wildlife for an hour - and to encourage younger members of your family to develop an interest in the local wildlife. By taking part, you'll find out all about the fascinating wildlife that flutters, crawls and hops in your garden, balcony or local area. And with a simple hour of mindful watching, you could have an hour to yourself, too.

Full details including resources and ideas including tips on making your garden an attractive place for birds to stop for a snack can be found on the RSPB website from this link:- RSPB Birdwatch.

You can also find more information on social media using the hashtag #BigGardenBirdWatch.

Return to top of page






button

© Saltford Environment Group
W3C compliant website

Editorial policy

SEG as an independent, non-profit making body takes a politically neutral stance. We are committed to the highest editorial and ethical standards in the provision of all the content and related services for our website.


The Editor is Phil Harding (SEG Chairman) and Phil can be contacted via our home page.