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Wildlife challenge to development Thames plans 'threaten wildlife'
(about 11 hours later)
A wildlife charity is to challenge in the High Court plans to build a Royal Mail delivery warehouse on marshland. A wildlife charity has accused planners of failing in their legal duty to protect rare marshland wildlife in the Thames Estuary.
Buglife accuses Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation of acting unlawfully in giving approval for the scheme at West Thurrock Marshes, Essex. Lawyers for conservation group Buglife told the High Court planning consent should not have been given for a Royal Mail warehouse in Thurrock, Essex.
They told the judge the local wildlife faced "irrevocable damage" from the huge distribution centre.
Planners say conservationists were consulted throughout the process.
Economic benefits
Planning permission was granted by Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation, a quango set up by former deputy prime minister, John Prescott, to promote economic growth in the area.
On the first day of a judicial review into the planning application, Buglife's lawyer said the corporation had allowed the economic benefits of the plan to outweigh the harm it would cause to the local wildlife.
For Buglife, Michael Fordham QC told the court that permission would never have been granted had the local authority, Thurrock Council, been in charge of the planning application.
The charity says the project threatens irrevocable damage to bees, spiders and beetles at an important wildlife site.The charity says the project threatens irrevocable damage to bees, spiders and beetles at an important wildlife site.
The corporation has said that conservationists were consulted and an environmental strategy formulated.
Threatened speciesThreatened species
It declined to comment ahead of the judicial review at the High Court. West Thurrock Marshes are home to insects, spiders and other wildlife
The corporation refused to comment ahead of the judicial review, but insists the plan includes an environmental strategy.
Buglife, which is also known as the Invertebrate Conservation Trust, says the development, given the go-ahead in 2006, will endanger already threatened species.Buglife, which is also known as the Invertebrate Conservation Trust, says the development, given the go-ahead in 2006, will endanger already threatened species.
These include the brownbanded carder bee, the saltmarsh shortspur beetle and the humpbacked red ant.These include the brownbanded carder bee, the saltmarsh shortspur beetle and the humpbacked red ant.
The charity's director, Matt Shardlow, believes the hearing will be the first test of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006).The charity's director, Matt Shardlow, believes the hearing will be the first test of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006).
The legislation requires public authorities to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity.The legislation requires public authorities to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity.