Bexley Natural Environment Forum has responded to Cory’s detailed proposals for two huge four-storey data centre buildings on Erith Marshes at Norman Road, adjacent to Crossness Local Nature Reserve, which set out how it intends to comply with the conditions imposed by Bexley Council’s planning committee when it granted outline permission. The Forum’s submission is provided in full below. To help others submit comments, we are working on a summary version which will appear on our Facebook page shortly. Comments should go to developmentcontrol@bexley.gov.uk by August 17th with 15/02926/OUTM02 in the subject line.
If Cory cannot meet those conditions, the development should be rejected. Important Open Mosaic habitat, found to be of at least London level importance for invertebrates will be in large part destroyed, known rarities such as Shrill Carder Bee are not catered for, Skylark nesting and Barn Owl foraging habitat will be lost and not replaced, non-native plantings of limited wildlife value will be made and the hugely negative visual impact cannot be ‘mitigated’ away. The Forum therefore finds that Cory’s scheme will still result in a significant biodiversity loss, contrary to the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework and the Bexley Local Plan, and fails to meet a number of the conditions.
It has made it clear to the Council that if Cory cannot provide empirical evidence regarding any claims of no biodiversity loss or net gain, that it expects Council Officers to do so (putting the supporting data in the public domain) if they re-state them as the Council’s own position. It has also said that seeking to ‘off-set’ the biodiversity damage outside of Bexley would be in contravention of the Council’s policy of protecting and enhancing biodiversity within the Borough’s own boundary.
The company has yet to submit a Biodiversity Management Plan and the Forum has written to the Council raising concerns that this in itself would appear to be in breach of a condition setting out deadlines in the planning process.
There was a time delay in Cory’s documentation appearing on Bexley Council’s planning webpages. The Council has extended the deadline for comments to August 17th accordingly, but only after badgering by campaigners.
