Plans for nature reserve on site of disused farm
Richard Evans, local democracy reporter
A new nature reserve, featuring woodland, wildflower meadows, new ponds, and an educational centre could be created on the site of a disused farm.
Denbighshire residents have until April 14 to comment on plans for a nature reserve at the council-owned land at the disused Greengates Farm on Abergele Road, near St Asaph Business Park.
The council has now commissioned Conwy-based Cadnant Planning Ltd to conduct a public consultation on the plans to convert the agricultural land.
The 13.3-hectare site will be financed by the UK Government’s shared prosperity fund and involves planting local provenance trees and wildflowers.
Wetlands
The plans will also include paths and boardwalks through natural wildlife habitats, featuring ponds wetlands with a hibernacula suitable for amphibians and reptiles to nest during winter.
There are also proposals for a tower for bird watchers, an educational centre, and organised events.
Once the consultation is complete, the council will submit a planning application to its own planning department.
The reserve would comprise native broadleaf woodland, scrub, wood pasture, wildflower meadow, ponds, and the erection of a wildlife barn.
Previously infilled ponds would be restored, and new ponds created, resulting in a total of 14 ponds across the site.
Roosting bats
The new wildlife barn would be constructed with features ‘specially designed to support a wide variety of wildlife’, including nesting birds and roosting bats.
A spokesman for Cadnant Planning commented, “We give notice that Denbighshire County Council is intending to apply for full planning permission for the change of use of land from agricultural land to a new nature reserve.”
To comment on the plans, visit https://www.cadnantplanning.co.uk/greengates-farm
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Our council tax is going up and yet again, there are councillors looking to spend money on a vanity project. Let’s get our priorities right
Disused farm? Why would a farm be disused?
I can think of a number of reasons for a farm to be disused. With the low prices available for lamb and the virtually non existent income for wool, the UK goverment decision to allow lamb imports from Australia and New Zealand will be the death knell for lots of small hill farms that have relied on sheep. They are already closing. We need to think of other uses/products. Helping to restore Britains sorely depleted wildlife might be one of them.
Providing carbon storage might be another.
Lamb is an extortionate price in the shops. Discounters barely stock it. It is beyond most people to afford lamb for Sunday lunch.
‘disused farms’ are a euphemism used by governments acting for supranational organisations rather than the electorate. Western governments are paying farmers to retire and taking the land to lie fallow or be redeveloped. The Welsh government are effectively trying to repurpose 20% of Welsh farmers land to make that ‘disused’ too. If you like eating food and value national food security it might be a plan to stand with Welsh farmers and suggest this disused farm becomes an active farm again. Better still vote these morons out. We could do with politicians that put our interests first.