A BASINGSTOKE resident has hit out at developers after a glow worm site in Old Basing was completely destroyed.
As previously reported, Alan Wilkinson, who has volunteered as a conservationist for 30 years, has been left devastated as he said housing developer Redrow "completely destroyed" the site.
The site, which can be found on Basing Road, is being developed by Redrow which is building three to five-bedroom homes on the land.
He told the Gazette that he met with Tilly Whishaw and Mike Dodds from Redrow on November 2 last year.
READ MORE: Conservationist angry after glow worm destroyed in Old Basing
He also met with Laura White, an ecologist, Chris Slack from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, and Nick Betson who was employed as a site agent for Redrow, to share his concerns.
It was agreed by all at the meeting that the glow worm site would not be destroyed.
Despite this when he visited the site on Sunday, July 23, he was shocked to see the area had been "completely bulldozed".
This has sparked a reaction from a member of the Old Basing and Lychpit Environment Campaign group, Nick Harris, who said it is an issue often faced at new development sites.
He said: "Drawing attention to the plight of glow worms on a small area of the Redrow development on Basing Road should concern people very greatly. Not just because of the poor glow worms, but much more widely since this is not the first transgression of a biodiversity agreement even on this relatively small site."
He continued: "Redrow was going to implement a biodiversity mitigation strategy and perhaps they thought they had. But it completely failed, and nothing can now be done to restore the status quo.
"Time and again the same thing happens but the result is frequently worse, even than the unfortunate impact on the glow worms, and afterwards absolutely nothing is done beyond a shrug of the shoulders and an apology."
He told the Gazette that he thinks that it is extremely important that "the general public demands a much higher standard of supervision" of developers.
He added: "Let us all hope that these small but important transgressions do not go unnoticed before something very bad occurs, irreversible and on a far larger scale.”
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A spokesperson from Redrow said: “Detailed consultation with experts, including two ecologists, was carried out prior to any works taking place in the area where glow worms were present, and focused on approving a biodiversity mitigation strategy.
"The extent of the clearance works was agreed by all parties prior to any action on site, however, unfortunately in this one area of the development more vegetation was removed by the contractor than was specified in the plans.
"We understand residents feel strongly about this and remain committed to supporting the biodiversity of the area. We will continue discussions with relevant local experts to accomplish this.”
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