The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside is involved in campaigning on wildlife issues on land and at sea at the local, regional, national and - occasionally - international levels.

Current local issues before us include:

Consultation by Chorley Borough Council on:

A Draft Validation of Planning Applications Guidance Note - response telephoned through on 19th July

A Preferred Options Development Plan Document on 'Sustainable Resources' - interim response sent on 19th July.

Consultation by Lancashire County Council on:

A proposed sand and gravel quarry at Brockholes, Preston City, Lancashire - detailed objection sent on 19th May 2006. Our comments can be viewed here

Further restoration plans; Brockholes Quarry, Preston City, Lancashire. Our comments can be viewed here

A proposed sand quarry at Euxton, Chorley Borough, Lancashire - detailed objection sent on 11th May 2006. Our comments can be viewed here

Consultation by Preston City Council on:

A proposal for a two-storey building to accommodate a 45-place residential dementia unit and a 25-place day centre at Cottam Hall Brickworks Biological Heritage Site southwest of Cottam Avenue, Ingol, Preston City, Lancashire. Our comments can be viewed here

Consultation by South Ribble Borough Council on:

A proposed housing development on Howick Cross Lane, Penwortham - response being considered.

Consultation by West Lancashire District Council on:

A Sustainable Community Strategy for West Lancashire 2006-2016: Issues Paper - response being considered.

Current regional issues before us include:

Consultation by the North West Regional Assembly on:

A draft Regional Spatial Strategy for North West England (covers Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire & Merseyside) - response required by 12th June 2006. This deals with broad issues of development planning, including the protection, restoration and re-creation of the region's wildlife and wild places.

Consultation by United Utilities plc on:

A draft Statutory Drought Plan for north-western England (based on river catchments so it covers Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire & Merseyside; parts of Derbyshire and North Yorkshire; and a small part of Wales) - response requested by 30th June 2006.

Current national and international issues before us include:

Consultation by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) on:

A proposal for a Marine Environment Bill - including proposals for marine nature conservation (consultation closes on 23rd June 2006). Our comments can be viewed here

A proposal for a Badger cull in England to attempt to control bovine tuberculosis (consultation closed on 10th March 2006)

Consultation by the Department of Trade & Industry on:

Proposals for the construction of several wind turbine arrays off the Morecambe Bay international wildlife site - responses sent in May 2006

Preston City Council's outline proposal to:

Regenerate the River Ribble waterfront in Preston City, South Ribble Borough and possibly Fylde Borough and West Lancashire District by renovation, new building, and creation of new public open space in the lower Ribble floodplain; and possible construction of a large weir across the Ribble Estuary international wildlife site.

How you might help

If our voice is to be heeded we need to demonstrate popular support.

We need people prepared to write to their elected representatives on issues in their remit. This may include parish, town, district, borough, city and county councillors, our 46 Members of Parliament, and, on occasion, our Members of the European Parliament.

We also need to respond to consultations by local, county, regional and national government and by regional and national government agencies.

If you would be interested in helping at any level please contact David Dunlop, our Conservation Officer for Policy Issues, on ddunlop@lancswt.org.uk

Links

The Wildlife Trusts' British Isles website: www.wildlifetrusts.org
Our network of 47 local Wildlife Trusts and our junior branch, Wildlife Watch, work together with local communities to protect wildlife in all habitats across the UK, in towns, countryside, wetlands and seas.

Wildlife & Countryside Link http://www.wcl.org.uk

Wildlife and Countryside Link brings together environmental voluntary organisations in the UK united by their common interest in the conservation and enjoyment of the natural and historic environment.