Earlier this month we posted that Aggregate Industries’ planning application to retain its asphalt plant at Rockbeare – the plant operating without permission since 2014 – had finally been approved.
This area has now lost the benefit of being restored back to woodland, as had previously been agreed, and AI will pay £10k to DCC, to "provide for compensatory work in a location yet to be determined" on "appropriate biodiversity project(s)... sought by the County Ecologist"; it’s an example of biodiversity offsetting, or as some would argue "a licence to trash nature".
DCC now has funding for woodland planting, "ideally in the Newton Abbot / Bovey area."
Funding for woodland planting! Devon County Council has funding for 5ha of planting (can be divided into smaller areas) to benefit dormice - ideally in the Newton Abbot / Bovey area but not essential. To find out more contact nature@devon.gov.uk pic.twitter.com/UpvoM71PDK— Natural Devon (@Devon_LNP) August 13, 2018
