Residents of Swanscombe turned out in force for a community butterfly count and rally to Save Swanscombe Peninsula on Saturday, 20th July 2024.
Swanscombe Peninsula is a Site of Special Scientific Interest with an industrious past and home to rare red-list species including the critically endangered distinguished jumping spider, however, it remains under threat of development after London Resort planned to build a theme park on the site. After a decade of campaigning, London Resort appears to have conceded this idea and the site is up for sale.
The Campaign Groups behind the Save Swanscombe Peninsula (SSP) movement, Buglife, Kent Wildlife Trust, CPRE Kent and the RSPB previously sent a letter to the Secretary of State asking for the special planning status, known as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NISP) to be removed. However, although the plans for the theme park will never come to fruition, the NSIP has not been revoked leaving local people, businesses and conservationists concerned about the future of this important habitat.
Saturday’s action was coordinated by Green Councillor Laura Edie and Save Swanscombe campaigners Karen Lynch and Donna Zimmer to highlight the wonders of the site and ask the government and council to ensure Swanscombe Peninsula is protected from future development. The SSP campaign group have created a vision for Swanscombe, with nature trails and picnic benches and is committed to turning the vision into reality.
On Saturday residents flocked to Swanscombe Peninsula for the big butterfly count, promoted by the charity Butterfly Conservation. With 45 butterflies counted, the spotters identified a raft of species including peacock, red admiral, green-veined white and mottled brown. After the count, the team gathered their banners and walked around the site to rally support for the nature haven.
Green Councillor and Save Swanscombe Peninsula Campaigner Laura Edie said: “I set up the Save Swanscombe Peninsula campaign to protect this nature haven from inappropriate development. We work alongside brilliant conservation charities and have managed to 'see off' a theme park being built in this area!
“With the land now being up for sale, we want to send out a clear message that we will not tolerate any plans to develop here, it must be preserved for future generations!
“We organised the count and rally with less than a week’s notice and I was amazed at such a great turnout! It goes to show how deeply people care and are willing to take a stand to defend this Site of Special Scientific Interest. It was a lovely afternoon and we discovered some of the precious nature that lives here whilst also driving home how crucial it is that this area remains for people and nature to enjoy indefinitely.”
Sally Smith of Kent Wildlife Trust: “Swanscombe Peninsula is an oasis of wildlife in a suburban area and must be protected, not just for the species that live there, but for our wellbeing and for future generations that follow us. We simply can’t afford to lose what we have here, and we urge the government to remove the NSIP so that people can enjoy this much-needed nature haven for years to come.”