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Dangers In Property Week: Rebuilding Nature

Following on from our very popular guest blog series so far,this week we are tackling some of the dangers to be found in property.

Today’s blog is from Paul Weston who is a senior estimator living and working in the Essex area.

Rebuilding Nature

Have you been in your garden lately? Take a look now, right now. What do you see? Some grass? A pond perhaps? I am fortunate enough to live in a village, in the countryside, and we regularly have pheasants, and rabbits and the like in our garden. It’s lovely. We also have a chicken running riot, but she’s a pet!!
At the end of our garden (well, the other side of the fence) a builder has knocked down an old derelict cottage with the intention of putting up a 3-4 storey five bedroom house, including out-buildings and the like.

Nothing strange there I hear you say, well, my point leads me to this; whilst carrying out their building works they have upset a badger’s set, who have, it seems, had to relocate their set, and unfortunately they have taken it to the other side of busy road, which they keep trying to cross.

Yes, you know where this is leading, they are getting knocked over! On a regular basis too!
Now then, read this  article here from the police. It’s kind of illegal to kill them! They are protected. I am not saying that these builders are killers! Directly.

Wildlife Needs Consideration

What I am getting at here, is the danger of buildings being erected, and no consideration for the environment is being taken. My example here is small fry compared to the huge residential developments that are carried out.

Many species are forced into upheaval due to developers encroaching upon their homes and way of life. They may just be birds, or mice, or badgers, but the more fields & forests etc that are wiped out to make way for us humans to have a nice cosy home, is endangering the British wildlife. Don’t forget; they were here first!
For every person on the earth, there are two hundred million insects. More insects can be found in only ten square feet of rain forest than there are people in Manhattan. One square mile of rural land can hold more insects than there are human beings on Earth.

The Destruction Of  Nature Knows Best

When I was younger my Dad took me on nature walks, and we did a spot of bird watching too (feathered kind here lads!), mainly in Epping Forest, and the surrounding areas. I want to be able to do the same with my two boys; to enjoy the beautiful countryside and the wonderful creatures within.

A walk across the fields, along the riverside, enjoying the pleasures that Mother Nature has given us.
I understand that the country needs to have more homes, as the population increases at a rapid rate, but perhaps we should either do one of the following;

  1. Find alternative methods of “housing” that is offering something back to nature
  2. Check the site and surrounding environment that the “new build” is going to be on! And reconsider if necessary!

But then again, why would you consider the environment, nature and wildlife when you can make some good money from developing? It just seems to be accepted that these creatures dying in the process of building is inevitable. It’s quite sad really when you think about it!

Our Summary Of Paul’s Post

A thought provoking slant on the ‘dangers in property’ week. Its not one most builders consider when they move in with JCB’s on the land. It amazes me in this day an age of building & conservation, that nothing is being done to join up the dots between developers and wildlife trusts etc. Our landscape sis being eroded by the onslaught of the modern ‘Barratt box home.’ I for one am with Paul here. Maybe we should start a campaign…..

Speaking of campaigns……You may have noticed a viral campaign that we started on Twitter to help Paul get a job. Paul is a senior estimator and was made redundant recently and has two little boys to support. If you can help him or would like to contact him you can do so on Twitter or at his Blog here. Paul was recently on BBC Essex radio too talking about his journey to find a job via social media contacts.


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  • http://www.robcameron.co.uk/ Rob Cameron

    Paul, what an excellent post and a completely different perspective on development. It is vital that we protect and promote the wildlife in our country to maintain our eco system. Most days of the week I drive out to our site at Gaydon which is in a rural location and regularly see dead foxes, badgers & deers by the road side, which always saddens me. There are numerous risks for these wonderful creatures, without them being indirectly or directly being forced to moved to more hazardous locations (such as by busy roads). I was under the impression that developers had a duty to relocate protected wildlife to suitable locations before development could be initiated. Be interested to know from those who know more, what the position is.
    By the way, love the charicature – excellent.

    • paulweston

      Thanks for your comment Rob, I to was under the impression that Developer's had a duty to relocate protected animals, not sure if chappie near me has done so…it's very annoying and sad! The thing is, it's not until there are only a minimal amount of these protected animals left, that someone pipes up and makes people take notice!! Until then, more unecessary deaths will occur on a daily basis! Charicature is a craker isn't it!! ha ha ha…

  • jocelynking

    Good post Paul. As owners of a Listed Barn we have to have regular wildlife surveys and an approved action plan each time we want to do any work, it costs a great deal of money (thousands so far) but it is worth the pain as we always feel comfortable that what we do to our property doesn't upset the wildlife too much. What I don't understand is why this requirement is specific to Listed Buildings & Conservation areas – there is wildlife all around us and all building impacts on wildlife.

    • paulweston

      Jocelyn, I am so glad that there are SOME rules when it comes to building, and I too do not understand why it is just restricted to Listed Buildings and Conservation areas at present. Surely Wildlife campaigners have enough clout behind them now to ensure better checks are carried out at all levels of developments? OR have developers pleaded that costs encroach on profit too much and are throwing their dummies out of the pram about it…who is going to win? A bully developer or a conservationist? I hope that the future of this Countries wildlife is not buried under bricks and mortar!!

  • Cija

    I have to agree with everything said in this post. There is no excuse now with all the information we have about better building and alternative housing for such methods to still be going on. It is not exactly rocket science, just consideration for the environment and I too thought developers had a duty to re-locate protected wildlife, but then, is money involved with this? I am quite sad when I visit England and my old street where our kids grandma still lives, the front gardens are concreted for extra parking and back gardens nothing but decking. Our house is one of the few, still with a lovely front garden and apple trees at the back that we use to climb as kids and now the eight grandchildren climb. I really do feel that community and environment are joined, our house is one of a few in the street to still hold a neighbourly bbq during summer, this being a normal thing to do along with a showing bit of greenery not too long ago… ;)

    • http://www.mypropertymentor.co.uk/ Roberta Ward

      This goes back to Eco issues again really.Maybe if we had more home with and eco edge there would be more thought for the wildlife too. Big business always tends to win out because they have their fingers in govt coffers and so can pretty much get through what they want if they grease the right palms.Our eco system will be continually eroded if these types of practices are not changed in the near future. Thanks for commenting folks, this has opened up an interesting debate.

    • http://twitter.com/FrancoiseM Francoise Murat

      Good post Paul and so important in this day and age. You would think with all the communication going on people would know. Unfortunately some people look the other way- They have to by law inform the council of any wildlife that has set up home, especially badgers as they are protected. Shame on them and anyone who doe slook the other way. Yes it costs mroe money and yes it means disruptin – but they have nto learnt to turn this to their advantage – it's a fantastic marketing angle, saving wildife and being green.

      • http://www.mypropertymentor.co.uk/ Roberta Ward

        How true that it is a great marketing tool to be able to add it to your development. I suspect the problem as always lies with money. Developers just want to get on with the job asap as time delays = extra costs for them. Thanks for posting Francoise.

        • http://www.mypropertymentor.co.uk/ Roberta Ward

          Just a quick update here folks. Those who follow our antics on twitter will know that Paul and I set up a quick competition and asked Sarah Beeny to join in. I tweeted that Pauls blog was doing so well that it might get more tweets than Sarah's.
          Paul asked Sarah if she would donate to the Treehouse appeal if he overtook her. Well he did! Spectacularly so too- though Paul did have an unfair advantage as his blog was LIVE at the time.

          Sarah has graciously accepted defeat and offered to donate.

          Dont ya just love the power of twitter??

          Many thanks to Sarah at Tepilo for being such a great sport.

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