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Our Roving Correspondent
LANCASHIRE EVENING POST (Preston, UK) 13 November 07 Family of newts delay school plans
A multi-million pound school extension has been delayed for nearly a year – by a family of great crested newts.
A state-of-the art technology block at Penwortham's Priory Sports and Technology College in Lancashire is the latest development to fall victim to the protected amphibians, which live in a pond 200 metres from the proposed building.
Despite encouraging his pupils to take an interest in ecology, headteacher Jim Hourigan has little sympathy for the creatures because they are costing him thousands of pounds in extra costs.
Left frustrated by a red tape wrangle, the headteacher has been forced to put up a special "newt fence" to prevent them getting into the building compound.
Mr Hourigan said: "The proposed building is on an area of land that has short, regularly mowed grass.
"Students regularly walk across the land to the sports pitches, and alongside is an AstroTurf pitch that is used by the community most nights up until 9.30pm – floodlights and all. We have been delayed by the protocols, procedures and inefficiency of a number of groups.
"We have to erect a 'newt fence' around the building compound and wait 25 days."
During that time ecology services have to check the inside of the compound to see if any newts "have sneaked in to play on the grass".
These surveys cannot take place when the temperature drops below two degrees Celsius in any 24-hour period.
Work cannot start until there have been 25 newt-free days inside the compound. The £2m-plus eco-friendly building was due to be ready by next September, but Mr Hourigan has little hope of meeting the deadline.
He said: "While all this has been going on, the costs of materials have risen and no additional funding is readily available.
"We may well be faced with a bill that goes way beyond the agreed sum because of delays."
Developments affected by great crested newts
The great crested newt has hit several plans in Lancashire over the years.
* In the last two years, three projects on the Preston East site, on the banks of the M6, have fallen foul to the presence of newts.
* Developers behind The Hub, a call centre run by Lancashire County Council, the new depot for Spar convenience store chain James Hall and Son and the proposed business park on land off Bluebell Way, Fulwood, all had to remove newts.
* The newts are so treasured by local people that campaigners staged a demonstration against the extension of the neighbouring Red Scar Industrial Estate in 2005.
* In June 2006, plans to build a dementia unit and day centre as part of the multi-million pound Cottam Hall Brickworks site were put on hold due to newts.
* In May 2006, a £29m electricity sub-station plan at Howick Cross, Penwortham was delayed as special protective newt fences and one-way ramps were put in place.
* In 2005, a colony of newts in Warton proved a stumbling block for a construction firm looking to build 90 homes in a local field.
* In August 2004, a colony of the tiny newts stalled plans for a major tourism development in Longridge.
http://www.lep.co.uk/news/Developments-affected-by-great-crested.3480660.jp
A multi-million pound school extension has been delayed for nearly a year – by a family of great crested newts.
A state-of-the art technology block at Penwortham's Priory Sports and Technology College in Lancashire is the latest development to fall victim to the protected amphibians, which live in a pond 200 metres from the proposed building.
Despite encouraging his pupils to take an interest in ecology, headteacher Jim Hourigan has little sympathy for the creatures because they are costing him thousands of pounds in extra costs.
Left frustrated by a red tape wrangle, the headteacher has been forced to put up a special "newt fence" to prevent them getting into the building compound.
Mr Hourigan said: "The proposed building is on an area of land that has short, regularly mowed grass.
"Students regularly walk across the land to the sports pitches, and alongside is an AstroTurf pitch that is used by the community most nights up until 9.30pm – floodlights and all. We have been delayed by the protocols, procedures and inefficiency of a number of groups.
"We have to erect a 'newt fence' around the building compound and wait 25 days."
During that time ecology services have to check the inside of the compound to see if any newts "have sneaked in to play on the grass".
These surveys cannot take place when the temperature drops below two degrees Celsius in any 24-hour period.
Work cannot start until there have been 25 newt-free days inside the compound. The £2m-plus eco-friendly building was due to be ready by next September, but Mr Hourigan has little hope of meeting the deadline.
He said: "While all this has been going on, the costs of materials have risen and no additional funding is readily available.
"We may well be faced with a bill that goes way beyond the agreed sum because of delays."
Developments affected by great crested newts
The great crested newt has hit several plans in Lancashire over the years.
* In the last two years, three projects on the Preston East site, on the banks of the M6, have fallen foul to the presence of newts.
* Developers behind The Hub, a call centre run by Lancashire County Council, the new depot for Spar convenience store chain James Hall and Son and the proposed business park on land off Bluebell Way, Fulwood, all had to remove newts.
* The newts are so treasured by local people that campaigners staged a demonstration against the extension of the neighbouring Red Scar Industrial Estate in 2005.
* In June 2006, plans to build a dementia unit and day centre as part of the multi-million pound Cottam Hall Brickworks site were put on hold due to newts.
* In May 2006, a £29m electricity sub-station plan at Howick Cross, Penwortham was delayed as special protective newt fences and one-way ramps were put in place.
* In 2005, a colony of newts in Warton proved a stumbling block for a construction firm looking to build 90 homes in a local field.
* In August 2004, a colony of the tiny newts stalled plans for a major tourism development in Longridge.
http://www.lep.co.uk/news/Developments-affected-by-great-crested.3480660.jp
