MORE campaign groups have rallied against the proposed sale of part of Burlish Country Park to Kidderminster Harriers despite the move making progress.
At its meeting last week, Wyre Forest District Council’s cabinet agreed the principle of the proposed sale, which has been put forward so the Harriers can expand its training facilities.
The land being considered forms part of the former golf course site and represents approximately 21 per cent of the wider Burlish Country Park – but does not include any part of Burlish Top Nature Reserve.
The West Midlands Butterfly and Moth Society has joined the growing number of wildlife organisations in condemning the move to sell off the land to the club.
They claim the site provides an important refuge for a range of butterflies, moths and other insects that are now increasingly rare in the countryside as a whole.
This includes the nationally scarce White-letter Hairstreak butterfly whose populations have been decimated as a result of Dutch Elm Disease but, according to the society, still survives at Burlish Meadows.
Mike Williams, spokesperson for the society, said: “The proposed sale of the site is a real kick in the teeth for the Wyre Forest Ranger Service who have worked incredibly hard to transform the site from an abandoned golf course into the wildlife-rich and much-loved site we see today.
“The proposal to dispose of the land is the wildlife equivalent of selling off the family silver. It is an incredibly important site and should be properly valued and retained.”
Harriers Owner Richard Lane said he appreciated and respected how important the area of land up for debate was to local people and added significant public areas will still remain accessible to all and the club had a commitment to biodiversity mitigation measures.
As the land is public open space, the Council is required by law to publish a statutory notice before a final decision can be made.
The notice is expected to be published today (Friday) and will include details of how to submit objections if people wish them to be formally considered.
Any future development of the site would also require planning permission and would be subject to public consultation through the planning process.
