"Serious concerns” have been raised by campaigners and a leading bird charity about possible plans to build about 1,000 homes on a Colchester beauty spot. Colchester City Council is considering the development at Middlewick Ranges as a possible site for new homes, under its local plan. At a meeting of the Colchester City Council local plan committee, on Monday, June 17, two furious residents and a representative from the RSPB raised concerns about the impact of any possible development on wildlife, particularly nightingales.
Speaking to the committee, resident, Richard Martin, said: “You have hopefully seen the front page of the Essex County Standard and received the email headlined findings Colchester is premier site for Nightingales. This should be a source of pride and celebration for Colchester, instead, it’s the most threatened site for this red-listed species in the country.” Read more: Plans for new road to Canvey Island after council gets £20m cash boost Read more: The Essex town that always decides who will be next Prime Minister Mr Martin told the committee the site supports part of the second-largest population of the bird species in Britain.
Fellow resident William Jolliffe told the meeting that it would be a “serious crime" to build on the beauty spot and that he doesn’t know anyone in Colchester who supports the development at the site. The local plan, which is yet to be agreed, is set to see 18,774 homes built across Colchester by 2041. The identif.