Darren and Noel will be met at Abbey Wood railway station at 10am by John Wylie, Chair of the Saints Residents Association and then go on to the Marshes. Among those joining them will be Tim Chapman, Natural Environment Focus Group, Alex Draper, Regional Conservation Officer for South London, Tony Banks from the local RSPB and a representative from the office of Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London.
Darren Johnson, who is determined to bring this battle to save Erith Marshes to the forefront of his Mayoral campaign, said,
“It is outrageous that Mayor Livingstone has failed to protect Erith Marshes. It shows his promises to protect green space to be little more than lies and spin. Livingstone and his Labour friends on Bexley Council are environmental wreckers. This would not happen if I was Mayor.”
Ann Garrett, who has been selected as prospective Green Assembly member for Bexley and Bromley, said, “What on earth do Bexley council mean that they have an “ecological master plan” for the area. Since when did building 900 parking spaces become an “ecological master plan?” The site is already recognised for its wildlife importance.”
Noel Lynch, who is leading the campaign for the Greens concluded, “I have already written to the Mayor asking him why he did not direct refusal of planning permission and seeking answers as to how the land was not protected under the draft London Plan and Biodiversity Strategy.”
London Green Party MEP Jean Lambert has asked the EU to intervene.
“The European Court of Justice has ruled that the boundaries of a protected conservation site – such as the Erith Marshes Site of Metropolitan Importance – must be set on the basis of ecological concerns – and a decision to limit their scope to allow development on the basis of local employment needs would be unlawful.”
“I have written to EU environment commissioner Margot Wallstrom to clarify whether this decision applies in the case of the Southmere Green site, which seems to have been excluded from the protected area on planning grounds alone, despite its importance as a conservation site and wildlife habitat.”
“I have also sought her assurance that the proposed development sufficiently considers the provisions of EU directives on protected habitats and wild birds.”
“No-one disputes the need for new jobs to be created in Belvedere but the ecological impact of this proposal is simply too high a price to pay.””
ENDS
For further information and to arrange interviews contact Penny Kemp on 01622 890601 or mobile 07711 760692 or Darren Johnson on the day 07887 737 276