The RSPB is asking you to object to Medway council’s development brief to build housing right next to Chattenden Woods, which is home to a very large population of Nightingales. The RSPB will be objecting to this proposal in its current form, but the more support from individuals we receive to support our objection the better!

So, we’d really appreciate a few more moments of your time to object to the planning application which has now been put forward by developers, by deadline 6th December. We know not all of you live near this site but the more objections to protect this nationally important population of nightingales, the better.

What we need you to do:

Voice your objection either by emailing planning.representation@medway.gov.uk or by post, FAO of Carly Stoddart, Development, Economy and Transport, Regeneration, Community and Culture, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4TR, ensuring that you quote the planning reference number in your response, MC/11/2516.

You’re welcome to mention any of the points below in your response:

The impact of the Lodge Hill development on Chattenden Woods

• The RSPB is concerned that the development, and the recreational disturbance that would arise from it, would seriously damage a site that currently supports at least 50 nightingale territories, more than 1% of the entire nightingale population in England.
• At the last count, the total number of nightingales is England was 4,557. According to the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) breeding bird atlas, the UK nightingale population declined by 53% between 1995 and 1998.
• Because of its decline in range and numbers, the nightingale is already an “amber listed” species in Birds of Conservation Concern – the document that describes the conservation status of the UK’s birds. However it is likely to become a “red-listed” species when its status is next reviewed.
• At the last count Kent was home to 27% of the total population, and Chattenden Woods found to be nationally important for the species. Since then the numbers of nightingale have fallen again, although the number of nightingales in Chattenden Woods and the adjacent scrub has grown, making it an even more important place for nightingales.
• This site and adjacent scrub also support other declining “Red-list” species including turtle dove, cuckoo, skylark, song thrush and bullfinch.
• In addition to the direct loss of habitat, these impacts would include increased disturbance of breeding birds by people seeking recreation in their immediate surroundings. Given the close proximity (as little as 2 km) of the development to these sites, it is very likely that people from the Lodge Hill development would visit the coast in large numbers for recreation, leading to increased disturbance of breeding seabirds and wintering waterfowl.
• The RSPB does not believe that the likely impacts of the Lodge Hill development on these sites has been fully evaluated yet, and that it is inappropriate to proceed with either the development, or an allocation for it, in the absence of that work and risk serious damage to both nationally and internationally important wildlife sites.

To view the developers plans, see here: