Main matter 4 - Site specific issues
Issue 2: Sites in Sutton
Paragraph 4.5
South London Waste Plan Hearing
Representation by Sutton Group of the London Wildlife Trust
We have made representations at each stage of the consultation process and would like to have this
representation considered at the hearing.
The following issues are pertinent to Beddington Farmlands.
1. The site is Metropolitan Open Land and so is protected against development. Such protection is
not inviolate but does need exceptional circumstances for development to proceed.
2. The site is a major component of the Wandle Valley Regional Park. The regional park is being
developed by the local authorities along the Wandle for the benefit of the local communities and
Beddington Farmlands with Beddington Park and Mitcham Common will be the largest area of
open space within the regional park.
3. The site is a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation. The site is one of the most
important sites for birds in London, which is recognised by this designation and strongly
supported within the London Plan (3.312).
4. The London Plan seeks to protect species identified in the UK and London Biodiversity Action
Plans (3.312). Tree Sparrow is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan species and has been adopted by
the London Biodiversity Action Plan as a priority species. The Tree Sparrow colony at
Beddington is one of the largest in the country and the only colony in London.
5. The site was developed for gravel extraction and landfill to be followed by restoration for wildlife
and people. The development was opposed by the council and local groups with planning
permission being granted after a public inquiry in 1995. The restoration plans were fundamental
in gaining permission. The part of the site that is threatened should be restored to wet grassland.
Before the development, the site was primarily wetland supporting an important bird community.
The creation of wet grassland was mitigation for the loss of wetland since the domed landform
over the landfill could never be restored to wetland. It would be a travesty of the planning process
if part of the site was lost to waste management facilities.
6. The SLWP recognises that SSSI status is an absolute constraint (4.50). At the public inquiry, the
council and the Beddington Farm Bird Group argued that the site met the criteria of a SSSI. The
artificial and transitory nature of the habitats were given by Thames Water as reasons why it
would not be designated. After restoration, Thames Water thought that it might become a SSSI.
In the Appendix, we present evidence to show the site has met the criteria and after restoration
would meet the criteria.
None of these issues is an absolute constraint but if taken together, we consider that development of
the Beddington Farmlands site should have ‘showstopper’ status. At the termination of the current
permissions in 2023, we would like to see the SLWP safeguard the site.
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Appendix
Sites are selected to be SSSI on a number of criteria, Beddinton could meet three of the criteria
Assemblage of breeding species
Variety of species
Rare species and features
Assemblage of breeding species
Habitats that ‘support an especially good range of bird species characteristic of the habitat’. Sites exceeding the
threshold value meet the criteria. Two habitats are relevant to Beddington and their index values for a number of
years are given. A range of years is given to show that although the habitats are deemed ‘transitory’, Beddington has
consistently approached or exceeded the thresholds since the creation of the lake in the early 1990s. A projection is
made for 2020, that includes Redshank that has been lost from the site in recent years but is one of the species that
the wet grassland is designed to attract.
Threshold
1990
2000
2010
2020
Lowland damp grasslands
16
6
17
15
17
Lowland open waters and their margins
31
7
29
30
32
Lowland damp grasslands
Mute Swan
Shelduck
Gadwall
Teal
Lapwing
Redshank
Yellow Wagtail
Sedge Warbler
Reed Bunting
Total score
1990
1
2
1
1
1
6
2000
3
2
4
3
1
2
2010
3
2
4
3
1
2020
3
2
4
3
1
2
1
1
17
1
1
15
1
1
17
2000
2010
1
3
2
4
3
4
3
4
2020
1
3
2
4
3
4
3
4
2
2
1
2
1
30
2
1
2
1
32
Lowland open waters and their margins
Little Grebe
Mute Swan
Shelduck
Gadwall
Teal
Shoveler
Tufted Duck
Little Ringed Plover
Redshank
Yellow Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Reed Bunting
Total score
1990
2
1
2
1
1
7
3
2
4
3
4
3
4
2
1
2
1
29
Variety of species
Sites with 70 breeding species, at least 90 wintering species or at least 150 species on passage are eligible for
selection. Beddington has around 40 breeding species, 75 wintering species and 40 passage species. The site list is
over 250 species with around 150 species seen each year.
Rare species and features
The Tree Sparrow colony at Beddington is one of the largest in the country, one of very few colonies in SE England
and the only colony in London.
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