Permission given to build on Crossness Nature Reserve

Mixed feelings indeed.

That's just how I reacted when learning about the 'exam results' for two of my favourite local wildlife spots.

Chislehurst Common passed with flying colours to earn a second top award in successive months. But gloom descended over Crossness Nature Reserve when it was announced they had failed to prevent an application for building on their wildlife-friendly habitat from being approved.

Good news first.

Judges of the annual London in Bloom recognised Chislehurst Common with a Gold Award for the second year running.

In the special category for commons, the award recognises hard work and dedication of keepers and volunteers, the contribution of the 180 acres to biodiversity, and importance of their role in making Chislehurst a greener, more pleasant place to live.

Footpaths are being maintained at Chislehurst Common (Image: Mary Wheeler)

Judges were impressed by the contributions of working parties, volunteers at events, keepers, trustees, and supporters in the community.

Just last month I informed readers how Chislehurst Common won a Green Flag Award for keeping the site spick and span, footpath and habitat maintenance plus litter removal and value to the community.

It was the eighth successive year Chislehurst had won the award. Now it looks like they might need a larger trophy cabinet at their HQ. 

There were no celebrations at Crossness when it was learned that waste management company Cory's had been given the green light to build a carbon capture and storage plant on the nature reserve.

As reported here, volunteers had been energetically fighting the proposals for months but Martin McCluskey MP, on behalf of the secretary of state for Energy Security and Net Zero, dashed their hopes when he decided the carbon storage plant should win out over nature.

Mr McCluskey lives in Gourock, Scotland, with his husband so is ideally placed to make decisions affecting south east London nature reserves!

He's only been in the job two months so must have reached a decision swiftly on a matter rumbling on for a year or so. Before that his background came in charity 'advocacy campaigns'. 

His decision is devastating for the reserve on the Belvedere/Abbey Wood border which nurtures wildlife rarely seen elsewhere in London despite already being squeezed by past building along the Thames.

There will inevitably be loss of habitat and therefore loss of creatures such as water voles, butterflies, dragonflies, amphibians and birds. Barn owls and kestrels will be among those under threat.

Sadly this outcome should have surprised no one as it was made by a Government whose top brass vowed not to let newts and bats get in the way of building projects while planning to also spread rows of pylons, wind pumps and glass across fields and eyeing up green belt land for potential development.

Time will tell if such a policy proves a vote winner or a vote loser.

• For information on the campaign to save Crossness, go to: savecrossnessnaturereserve.org