Attached is the Notts Wildlife Trust response to a planning application for gravel extraction at Barton in Fabis Barton in Fabis proposed Quarry NWT Response Redacted October 2017. Although in the long term (10 – 20 years down the line) it will result in the creation of a lake (set to become a relatively common habitat along the Trent valley  because of gravel extraction). But it will also cause damage to  and loss of a number of designated Local Wildlife Sites. The totality of these LWS`s across Rushcliffe is about 5% of the Boroughs area.

NWT feels that such scarce habitat should not be sacrificed today in the hope of achieving some sort of mitigation decades down the line, as the creation of a rich complex habitat of plants, invertebrates etc will take decades to evolve. The sowing of a species rich grassland mix is just the start of a long process. It is also worth noting that there is no guarantee the site will end up as a “proper” nature reserve.

Where for example the East Leake gravel pit was extended a few years ago, across farmland, the Trust took the view that it would not represent a significant loss of habitat and therefore concentrated on achieving  the best possible habitat mitigation. But again the ponds created will return to the landowner who may then do with them as he wishes, they become wildlife habitat NOT nature reserves.