Local planning applications threat to
RHS Garden Wisley
17 November 2008
The RHS needs your help now
The RHS is strongly opposed to two planning applications for the development of waste management facilities on neighbouring sites at Former Wisley Airfield and Nutberry Farm.
We have lodged objections to both applications and are working closely with the Wisley Airfield Action Group (WAAG) and adjacent Parish Councils. We are especially concerned about the potential risk to plant health from bioaerosols originating from the proposed large scale waste-composting facilities. The RHS has commissioned research from independent environmental consultants, Environ, which indicates that there is a principled scientific basis to anticipate an identifiable risk from bioaerosols to plant health at the garden and ecological health at the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area.
As both proposed developments would introduce biodegradable waste from a variety of sources, there is a risk that pathogens could be released during loading and unloading, shredding and turning of mature compost, and in air exhausted from biofilters. A number of plant pathogens are thought to survive composting and many of their host plants are found at Wisley, which is downwind of the proposed facilities. Pathogens such as the heat-tolerant tobacco mosaic virus can affect more than 150 types of herbaceous plants. The quarantine pathogen, Phytophthora ramorum may infect heathland host plants in the Special Protection Area - such as heathers, bilberries and some woodland trees.
Say NO to waste developments on Wisley's doorstep
A template protest letter can be found here in Microsoft Word format
If you would like to support our objection to the proposed waste site developments, and help secure a healthy future for RHS Garden Wisley and its neighbouring environments, please make your voice heard. Please write to:
Planning Department
Surrey County Council
County Hall
Penrhyn Road
Kingston Upon Thames
KT1 2DN
Quote:
Wisley Airfield application number: GU08/1472
Nutberry Farm application number: GU08/0825
The deadline has been extended: All objections must be received by 16 January 2009
Every individual objection counts: you do not need to live locally to oppose these planning applications.
More information
For more detailed information about the planning proposals, visit the 'Your environment' section of the Surrey County Council website.
RHS Garden Wisley is home to an internationally important plant collection, approaching 30,000 taxa, and it is listed by English Heritage as Grade II* Registered Park of Special Historic Interest. It has been a centre of gardening excellence for more than 100 years.
The Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area is a conservation area including the Ockham and Wisley Commons Sites of Special Scientific Interest, noted for carrying breeding populations of nightjar, woodlark and Dartford warbler, all of which are afforded legal protection under the European Birds Directive.
RHS policy on composting
The RHS is a keen advocate of home composting. We promote composting of garden waste to our members and the wider public, and publish advice on the subject. We also compost our own garden waste at all RHS gardens. Unlike the proposed large-scale commercial composting facilities, our own composting is small scale and we are able to screen out high-risk diseased material and dispose of this by alternative means.