Campaigners have criticised the continued delay to the opening of Sutton’s Beddington Farmlands nature reserve as a year passes from when it was supposed to be opened for public access. Local conservationists say ‘this is one anniversary nobody is celebrating’.
Plans for the 120-hectare site near the Beddington industrial estate were initially proposed as South London’s newest wetland habitat nearly 20 years ago; it was pitched as being able to provide ample space for wildlife and humans. Conservationist group Wandle Valley Forum (WVF) told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the Hyde Park-sized site is ‘one of the largest environmental opportunities in London’.
However December 31 marked the one-year anniversary of the missed delivery of complete public access to the Beddington Farmlands nature reserve. WVF Chair Tony Burton continued: “This is one anniversary nobody is celebrating.
The Beddington Farmlands is equivalent to the size of Hyde Park
(Image: Wandle Valley Forum)
“The continuing failure of [waste management firm] Valencia to undertake the work needed to deliver our promised nature reserve and Sutton Council’s foot-dragging approach to enforcement is beyond frustrating. Public access to Beddington Farmlands and a secure future for its extraordinary wildlife was the quid pro quo for a massive incinerator being built.
“Yet local people can still only look through the fence, and the iconic lapwings are on the verge of extinction. The fate of Beddington Farmlands needs to turn a corner in 2025 and realise the potential of what must be one of the largest environmental opportunities in London.”
The creation of the farmlands reserve was a requirement when approval was given for the nearby Beddington incinerator. In the years since, the project has seen revisions and even a change of owner from Viridor, which owns the incinerator, to Valencia Waste Management (VWM).
Issues with the delivery of the farmlands are numerous and are often the subject of protracted debate at Sutton Council meetings. Hang-ups over being unable to deliver biodiversity-friendly acid grassland at the site was one such issue that has caused delays to the the process.
While some progress has been made on the site, including installing bird hides that are now accessible on a path the public can use, it remains incomplete and unsuitable for birds like the at-risk Lapwing, which the nature reserve was supposed to provide a home for.
Biodiversity net gain was a particular focus for campaigners, who see the site’s development as an essential measure to safeguard endangered wildlife in the largely industrial area. However, according to a recent assessment, around 80 per cent of biodiversity tasks had not yet been started on the site.
Former owners Viridor operate the controversial waste incinerator on the edges of the Beddington Farmlands
(Image: Harrison Galliven/LDRS)
Frustration with the lack of progress on the farmlands hit new heights in November when, for the first time, Sutton’s Lib Dem council declared they would be taking legal enforcement action against Valencia. Councillor Ed Parsley called Valencia’s inability to deliver within the timeframe and attitude towards the council ‘disrespectful and quite frankly cowardly’.
Beddington Councillor Tim Foster, who has been actively pushing for the plans in his ward, felt the council had delayed enforcement for long enough and not put enough pressure on Valencia to deliver. He said: “I’m sorry to say I have a profound sense of deja vu with regard to the current state of play on the farmlands.
“There is no point in waiting for another report in March; that would be three years since Viridor sold the project from under the council’s feet. The target species, the ecology and the borough, cannot afford more excuses. It is time for enforcement.”
Regarding the recently passed deadline, Councillor Jake Short, Chair of Sutton’s Housing, Economy & Business Committee, told the LDRS: “It is completely unacceptable that the promised deadline of December 2023 for the restoration work passed with very few works completed. It is clear that Valencia has not dedicated enough time or resources to progress in the required work agreed upon with the council.
“It is vital that the long-promised restoration of Beddington Farmlands is completed as soon as possible by Valencia and to the expected quality set out when planning permission was granted. Attempts by the council to ensure that VWM turn their stated commitment into real results on the ground have been met with a consistently disappointing response. They are not delivering this important project for Sutton residents and visitors, and the council has had enough now. We will explore all avenues for enforcement action.”
A spokesperson for Valencia said: “Valencia, as operators of the Farmlands landfill site, continues to work with its technical specialists to progress the planning application to make a number of changes to the restoration scheme to make it more sustainable and viable in the long term to respond to our changing climate.
“We have an agreed timeline to respond to feedback from the London Borough of Sutton on our application and will submit the documentation in January. Alongside this, the team on site continue to make progress to manage the habitats, and alongside the warden, further access to the site will be delivered in the coming year.
“We are making progress and I would encourage members of the community to visit the bird hides along the permissive path that can be reached from Beddington Park that are accessible today.”
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