Wildlife Haven Flourishes at Sandling Park

3.54.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 8th Oct 2009

Sandling park

From day one of planning for the multi-award winning Sandling Park residential development on the former Territitorial Army HQ site in Sandling Lane your local Lib Dem Councillors fought hard to protect the grassland, woodland and heath on site and the wildlife it supports. Practical Lib Dem action included the carrying out and commissioning of wildlife surveys to strengthen the case for protection, powerful advocacy of good design at Council planning meetings and a real input on materials, site lay-out and planting schedules.

We can now announce that Sandling Park's wildlife habitats, carefully protected throughout the construction phase, have now been handed over to Maidstone Council by the developer to be maintained as a nature reserve in perpetuity. Lib Dem Councillor Tony Harwood on hearing the fantastic news stated "Local residents have expressed amazement at the diversity of the wildlife at Sandling Park flourishing so close to new human neighbours. Wildlflowers long ago lost from the wider Maidstone countryside such as harebell, Lady's bedstraw and birdsfoot trefoil still bloom sustaining clouds of butterflies, moths and other attractive insects, while rabbits and foxes play out their complex family lives."

Stop Press: Local Lib Dem County Councillor Ian Chittenden is now close to gaining agreement on the transfer of the strip of KCC owned woodland flanking the southern side of Sandling Lane into our new Sandling Park Nature Reserve.