News

I spy with my little eye --- 100 bird species in Ely Wildspace
12 January 2012 Following on from the success of the first ever Ely bird race back in May, five teams set out early on the 20th November to once again try to see and hear as many bird species as possible in a single morning in the Wildspace. The winning team was captained by Ben Green and recorded an impressive 62 species, including scarce local species such as Bearded Tit and Marsh Harrier. Seventy one species were seen in total across the teams, bringing the grand total number of species recorded during the two 2011 bird races to a nice round 100 – an amazing achievement, and a testament to the amazing wildlife sites we have around Ely (click here for the species seen). Everyone had a great time in the winter sunshine, and the morning was rounded off by some excellent food back at the sailing club. But can we beat 100 next year?

Elywildspace sparkles
13 November 2011 Many thanks indeed to everyone that helped with our Autumn Litterpick last weekend. We collected loads of rubbish throughout the Wildspace area, which was followed by tea, scones and sparklers at the Ely Sailing Club. Thanks also to Veolia for collecting the rubbish on Monday morning.

Make Elywildspace sparkle
24 October 2011 Please join us for our Autumn Litterpick on Bonfire Day followed by tea, scones and sparklers at Ely Sailing Club. Meet at the top of Kiln Lane at 2 pm on Saturday 5 November. Equipment will be provided on the day.

Winter bird race
24 October 2011 Do please join us on Sunday 20 November for the second Wildspace Bird Race of the year. Back in the spring five teams, each led by an experienced birdwatcher, set out to see how many different birds they could find in the Wildspace in the course of a morning. Between them recorded a staggering 88 species! This time we'll be looking for winter migrants - like redwings, fieldfares and ducks - but will be hoping for one or two rarities as well. We'll start from the Environment Agency on Kiln Lane at 8am and meet up again by noon to compare notes and enjoy some hot food. All welcome, however experienced; do bring binoculars and warm and waterproof clothes.

Ragwort clearance on the flood meadow
Are you free on the morning of Saturday 13th August and able to do a bit of hard work to help local wildlife? We're organising a work party to clear ragwort from the flood meadow on the east side of the river. This will help maintain cattle grazing there without the need for chemical weed control, and so benefit wading birds. If you can get involved please let us know (email us lcpre@elywildspace.org.uk) and meet on the A142 bridge over the river (just south of the station) at 10.30am. Wear long sleeves and trousers, and bring gloves.

Ninety plant species found on Ely Common!
31 July 2011 On Saturday 23 July, 16 of our members visited Ely Common to survey the plants growing there and to collect important baseline data on the species that occur. Working with Dr Edmund Tanner from Cambridge University, we identified an incredible 90 species on the Common including Lady’s Bedstraw, Adderstongue Fern and Yorkshire Fog. Thanks to all those who took part and made the day a great success. A number of interesting animals were also spotted during the day such as the Essex Skipper butterfly, Elephant Hawkmoth and Roesel's Bushcricket. (Image copyright: R Dixon)

Flower power comes to Ely!
13 July 2011 Do join us on Saturday 23 July to find out all about the plants of Ely Common. Working with Dr Edmund Tanner from Cambridge University we'll learn how to identify what's there and collect important baseline data we can then use to monitor efforts to restore the meadow there. Meet in the Environment Agency car park off Prickwillow Road at 10am. Bring lunch, water and sunblock/rain gear (as appropriate). We aim to finish by 4pm.

Ely’s first ever Bird Race
09 May 2011 Ely Wildspace bird race: How many bird species can be seen around Ely in a single morning? That is what more than twenty members of Ely Wildspace tried to find out on Saturday when they took part in Ely's first ever 'bird race'. Five teams, each led by an experienced local birdwatcher, set out at 6am and explored every corner of the Wildspace, trying to see or hear as many bird species as possible before 11am. The winning team, led by Duncan Poyser, managed to find an incredible 79 species, and in total a truly staggering 88 species were recorded. To put this into perspective, that is more than one could expect to find during a morning spent on some of the country's finest nature reserves!

The list included scarce visitors such as Black Tern, and rare breeders like Nightingale, Grasshopper Warbler and Turtle Dove. Most people encountered species that they had never seen before and, more importantly, learnt more about their local area and its fantastic wildlife. This was a hugely enjoyable event for everyone involved, and really demonstrates the incredible diversity of wildlife we have living on our doorsteps.

Enter Ely’s first ever Bird Race
03 May 2011 How many bird species can be seen around Ely in a single morning? If you want to find out for yourself, or simply fancy a guided birdwatching walk around the fantastic wildlife areas right on our doorstep, then why not join the Ely Wildspace Bird Race on Saturday 7 May? We are meeting at 6am sharp at Ely Sailing Club where we will divide up into small teams, each of which will be led by an experienced local birdwatcher. The teams will then set off and walk all around the Wildspace trying to see and hear as many bird species as possible. We will return to the Sailing Club at around 11 to compare notes, discover the winning team and enjoy a barbecue in front of Roswell Pit! The event is free and everyone is welcome. Please bring binoculars (if you have them), warm and waterproof clothing and plenty of food and drink.

Springclean with the birds
23 March 2011 On Saturday 2 April we'll be clearing litter from around the Wildspace and need your help. Please meet at 2pm at the top of Kiln Lane, off Prickwillow Road. Tea and cakes will be served at the Sailing Club afterwards, where there will also be a bird-ringing demonstration led by licensed ringer Dr Stuart Sharp. Please join us!

Peewit update
23 March 2011 Spring is only just starting but there are already several pairs of lapwings displaying on the wetland between the railway line and the river. Last month we restored the hedge there so that dog walkers can continue enjoying the footpath without inadvertantly disturbing the birds - so it's fantastic news that the birds (also known as peewits, because of their calls) have already moved in. If you get a chance do go along and see their spectacular aerial displays for yourself.

Cold work, warm glow
20 February 2011 Huge thanks to everybody who braved Saturday's wind, rain, sleet and mud to plant up the flood meadow hedge - and to everyone who served delicious soup, sausages and cake at the end. Despite the bitter weather the fantastic turnout meant we managed to get the entire job done, including installing protective fencing on either side of the new plants. When spring comes along keep an eye out for fluffy lapwing chicks and the spectacular evening display-flights of snipe - now much safer thanks to everyone's hard work.

Investing in a real hedge fund
24 January 2011 On Saturday 19 February we’ll be working with Ely Wildspace farmer John Lee to plant-up the gaps in the hedge that runs adjacent to the easy access trail along the northern flood meadow. The aim is to help the area’s breeding lapwing and snipe by making it harder for dogs to run into the meadow. We’ll meet at 9.30 in the Environment Agency car park, and aim to finish with a hot meal at Ely Sailing Club. Please bring along a spade, gloves, and eager friends and family. If you think you’ll be there please let us know by emailing lcpre@elywildspace.org.uk. Thank you!

Starting a reedbed
25 October 2010 At long last we’re about to start work on managing the land we acquired in 2009 on the main pit at Roswell. In conjunction with the Wildlife Trust, who are leasing the land from us, we’re investigating whether we can create a small reedbed there. We’ll start by clearing vegetation and digging some test pits which we can use to monitor water levels and where we can plant the reeds we rescued in 2009.

Please join us for a raking and digging party, on Saturday 6 November. We’ll meet at 10am at Ely Sailing Club, and finish around 4pm. Do bring along lunch, gloves, a rake or spade, family and friends, lots of energy and any reeds you’ve been kindly nurturing for far too long! If you think you’ll be there please let us know by emailing lcpre@elywildspace.org.uk. Thank you!

Raking it in
16 October 2010 We’ve been asked to get involved in an exciting new project to recreate a wildflower meadow on Ely Common. The first step involves cutting back and removing existing growth, so please join us for a raking party, on Saturday 23 October. We’ll meet at 10am at the top of Kiln Lane, and finish with tea and cakes at the Sailing Club at 4pm. Do bring along lunch, gloves, long sleeves, family and friends, and any rakes or pitchforks you can get hold of. If you think you’ll be there please let us know by emailing lcpre@elywildspace.org.uk. Thank you!

Another load of rubbish!
16 September 2010 Do come along and join our annual autumn litterpick of the Ely Wildspace which will take place on Saturday 23rd October. We will be meeting at 2 pm at the top of Kiln Lane, off Prickwillow Road, Ely. Tea and cakes will be provided at the Sailing Club afterwards. If you would like further information, we will have a market stall on Saturday October 9th.

Ragwort Removal a Roaring Success!
30 August 2010 Very many thanks to everyone who turned out for each of the three ragwort-pulling parties. Overall a dozen trailer-loads of the dreaded weed have been removed and the whole of the meadow has been cleared, greatly improving the site for wildlife.

Ragwort 2 - the Return!
27 July 2010 Very many thanks to everyone who turned out on Saturday for the ragwort-pulling party. The results are really impressive - we filled four low-loaders with uprooted plants, and from the bridge it's now pretty difficult to spot any of the poisonous pests. However, there are more lurking just beyond view, so for all those who missed this event or who enjoyed it so much they can't wait for more, we're organising another work party from 10am on Saturday 7 August. If you can spare a few hours please do come along - your work is vital to improving the site for breeding lapwing and snipe, and if enough people turn up we might be able to clear the field completely. We'll meet once again on the High (A142) bridge over the river, just south of the station. Bring lunch, gloves, long sleeves and trousers, and a garden fork if possible. Please reply to lcpre@elywildspace.org.uk if you think you'll be there.

Ely Wildspace Art Competition
24 July 2010 We’ve just held our first art competition for work inspired by the Wildspace. Children at Ely St John’s Community Primary School produced over 50 fantastic entries after committee member Kevin Smith visited the school during their Going Green week. Local artists Stuart Green and Liz Hunter had a really difficult time picking winners, but chose these pictures by Lucy (kingfisher), Aiden (grebes on the river) and Hannah (bluetit). Many thanks indeed to all the children who entered, and to the staff at Ely St John’s for their enthusiastic support.

Extra litterpick another load of rubbish
22 July 2010 Many thanks indeed to all our members who helped collect litter in preparation for the Ely in Bloom competition. Altogether they filled 16 black sacks from between the Iron Bridge and Queen Adelaide,and from Thistle Corner to Beech Lane. Fan-trash-tic.

Active conservation in your Wildspace - get involved!
19 July 2010 Are you free next Saturday afternoon (24 July) and able to do a bit of hard work to help local wildlife? We're organising a work party to assist local farmer John Lee clear ragwort from the flood meadow on the east side of the river. This will help him maintain cattle grazing there without the need for chemical weed control, and so benefit wading birds.

If you can get involved please meet on the A142 bridge over the river (just south of the station) at 2pm. Wear long sleeves and trousers, and bring gloves, as ragwort is poisonous. This is one of several work events we're planning over the next few months so if you can come to this one, or if you can't but may be able to help later on, PLEASE WRITE TO lcpre@elywildspace.org.uk and we'll make sure you get future mailings.

Third AGM a success
19 July 2010 LCPRE held its 3rd Annual General Meeting on Wed 7 July, at Ely Sailing club. The event was very well attended, with members receiving reports on the year from outgoing Chair Andrew Balmford and departing Treasurer Frank Richards. Highlighting our gradual shift beyond campaigning and into on-the-ground projects, guest Jane Learner spoke about A Roswell Record - a project to be launched in the autumn, capturing people’s memories and hopes for the area - while Nigel Russell from Natural England talked about exciting plans for enhancing the SSSI. More details soon - watch this space.

Monitoring Marsh harriers
15 June 2010 Marsh harrier chicks have recently been ringed on Ely Beet Pits. This will help scientists track their movements and shed light on the birds' ecology. Marsh harriers were extinct in the UK for most of the last century, returning only in the 1970s, but they have bred here regularly for several years. The parents can be easily seen from the pull-ins on Queen Adelaide Way, but remember that it is strictly illegal to approach the birds without a licence.

LCPRE AGM
03 June 2010 The LCPRE Annual General Meeting will be held from 7.30pm on Wednesday 7 July, at Ely Sailing Club. After the formal business of the evening, there will be cheese and wine, and (weather permitting) a nature walk around Roswell.

LCPRE Garden Party
03 June 2010 The LCPRE Garden Party will be held on Sunday 13 June to fundraise and keep people in touch with what’s happening around the Wildspace. Gardens will be open at 50A Prickwillow Road (CB7 4QT, from 2-3.30pm), and at Rosewell House (CB7 4TX, off Kiln Lane, from 2-5pm). There will be a nature trail for people between the gardens across Ely Common, and at Rosewell there will be teas, cakes and stalls. An all-garden ticket costs £2.

Ely Wildspace in national magazine
14 March 2010 The story of Ely's Wildspace, the threats to it, and the work that LCPRE is doing are featured in an article by John Worrall in this month's issue of The Countryman magazine. Available from all good newsagents...

Court latest - good news for Roswell
23 February 2010 Jalsea Marine Services were told today that they would have to pay a total of £12 000 for ignoring ECDC's Enforcement Notice to remove building work carried out at Roswell without planning permission. Magistrate Hamish Ross said "We have listened carefully to the arguments of both parties but in the bench's opinion the terms of the enforcement notice were clear and the work should have been carried out by the company. The bench therefore fines Jalsea Marine Services a total of £7000 with a contribution of £5000 court costs."

Jalsea Marine now have two weeks to pay the fine. Importantly, we understand that even after payment the terms of the Enforcement Notice still need to be met, and that if they are not, ECDC will prosecute the company again. The court result and ECDC's robust stance are obviously great news for everyone in Ely who wants to see Roswell spared from commercial development.

Spring Litterpick date
23 February 2010 We’ll be doing our Spring litterpick of Ely Wildspace on Saturday 17 April, starting at 2:00 pm. We’ll meet at the top of Kiln Lane (near the Environment Agency car park), and finish with tea and scones at Ely Sailing Club. Equipment will be provided as usual. We’ll also have a stall to advertise the event at the 10 April Farmers’ Market. Do pop by and have a chat.

Planning update
21 January 2010 Very many thanks indeed to the huge number of you who sent in your views about the proposal to develop the main pit at Roswell. The response has been absolutely amazing, with over 150 letters now posted on the ECDC website. We’ve also sent in a lengthy objection on behalf of all our members. The latest news on the planning application is that ECDC has declared they require the owner to submit a detailed Environmental Statement, which is likely to take several months to prepare. The application will go no further until this has been submitted.

Bittern bonanza
20 January 2010 The icy weather has brought with it a flurry of sightings of bitterns on the main pit at Roswell. The owner has long maintained his pit isn’t important for these birds, but as many people have said, the fact that it’s deeper than the Queen Adelaide pits means that during really cold spells it can still offer vital, ice-free fishing spots. Bitterns were seen there almost daily for the first 10 days of 2010.

Local photographer Chris Hughes took these extraordinary pictures, while bird artist Ben Green got remarkable footage of a bird crossing the open ice on the pit. Do let us know if you see bitterns (lcpre@elywildspace.org.uk), but please don’t approach the birds, as they are especially sensitive to disturbance when food is in such short supply.

Urgent: Planning application for Roswell Pits
09 December 2009 Jalsea Marine submitted a planning application for major works at Roswell Pits. Most of the application is retrospective and would enable the owner to make use of all the unauthorised work that has already been done on the site (currently the subject of an enforcement action by ECDC). It’s vital that as many local people as possible have their say on these plans, so please read on, and then tell ECDC what you think, by 22 December.

What’s proposed
• Moorings for electric boats, and facilities for canoes.
• Two sets of fishing swims for disabled anglers
• A permanent track plus turning space for emergency vehicles.
• A “comfort room” and toilet, plus a car park, on the hard standing near the level crossing.
• Lighting and CCTV facilities at the two sets of swims, which will be linked by a boardwalk.
• Removing more trees.

What we think
We believe that the ecological and recreational importance of this site means that it is entirely the wrong place for this development. While we support the principle of providing facilities for disabled anglers and boaters, we think these could be provided more safely and at lower cost alongside existing facilities elsewhere, where there would be no need for additional infrastructure such as emergency vehicle access. Click here for further details.

What you can do
The planning application can be found on the ECDC website by clicking here. It is vitally important that you tell ECDC in your own words what you think of these plans by 22 December at the latest, quoting ref: 09/00898/FUL.

Court rejects three challenges to SSSI designation
15 December 2009 Last Tuesday, the High Court heard an application for leave to bring proceedings against Natural England to challenge the decision to confirm Ely Pits SSSI.

The four grounds of challenge were that Natural England:
1) should have carried out a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) as required by the SEA Directive before it confirmed the SSSI;
2) failed to provide information to the claimants, or the Board unlawfully failed to take account of relevant material because of non-disclosure by Natural England officers;
3) failed to take into account material considerations and/or misdirected itself in relation to certain evidence and in particular the presence of bitterns such that the evidence did not support the decision to confirm the site; and
4) failed to identify full boundaries for the SSSI and in so doing acted irrationally and disproportionately.

Grounds 2 - 4 were summarily dismissed. The judge ordered that ground 1 should await the outcome of an ongoing case elsewhere.

Another successful litterpick
20 October 2009 Many thanks to all who took part in the LCPRE litter pick on Sunday 11th October. Volunteers scoured the areas of Pocket Park, Roswell Pits, Ely Common and the iron bridge to accumulate about half a ton of litter. We also enjoyed the facilities at the Sailing Club afterwards for tea and scones. We would like to thank the Sailing Club for their hospitality and John Chapman from Veolia who arranged to remove the accumulated rubbish on Monday.

Autumn Litterpick
28 September 2009 The autumn litter pick will take place on Sunday 11th October 2009 starting at 2:00 pm. We will meet at the top of Kiln Lane (near the Environment Agency car park), and finish with tea and scones at Ely Sailing Club. Equipment will be provided as usual.

Successful AGM
07 July 2009 LCPRE held its second Annual General Meeting on 1st July 2009. Approximately 50 members attended to hear the exciting news about LCPRE's recent land purchase along with other updates from the committee on activities in the past year. We were also delighted to welcome three new committee members to the group. Cheese and wine was enjoyed by all, followed by a fun nature walk where we saw bee and marsh orchids, common lizard, barn owl and a suspected hobby.

Land Ahoy!
06 July 2009 On 12 June 2009 LCPRE, through our company Ely Wildspace Ltd, became the proud owner of a 2-acre strip of land running alongside the railway line on the east side of the main pit. This exciting news, made possible through a very generous donation by a group member from Cambridge, came exactly two years to the day since our first big public meeting.

The land is surrounded by Jalsea Marine property on three sides and the railway on the fourth. We’re working with the Wildlife Trust to draw up plans to manage the land for conservation.

We’re really excited about this news - it means the land is safeguarded against development; it means LCPRE has become not just a stakeholder but also a landowner in the SSSI; and it’ll help establish our credibility as a safe pair of hands for looking after land, if and when other areas become available.

Annual General Meeting
18 June Members are invited to LCPRE's AGM, at 7.30 on Wednesday 1 July 2009 at Ely Sailing Club. In addition to the formal business of the evening, there will be a nature walk and wine and nibbles.

Garden Party
08 June 2009 Many thanks to all those who came along to the LCPRE Garden Party on Sunday. Despite the unsettled weather there was a great turnout - and the rain held out for much of the afternoon so that tea and cakes could be enjoyed outside in the garden. All in all the event was a great success - thanks again to everyone involved.

Ely Reed Day
1 May 2009 On 25 April LCPRE volunteers worked with Natural England to harvest rhizomes from a drying reedbed and distribute around 100 potted-up plants to volunteers all over Ely. Over the next year most of these should mature into full-grown reeds, which we’ll then plant out in new reedbeds around the Wildspace in spring 2010. Many thanks to everyone who helped dig or who’s now providing a foster home for reeds. Provided this pilot scheme works well, we’ll have an even bigger event next year.

If you would like more information on caring for your reeds, click here.

Garden Party, 7 June
23 May 2009 We’re holding a Garden Party on Sunday 7 June to fundraise and keep people in touch with what’s happening around the Wildspace. There are three gardens open between 2 and 4pm (58 Prickwillow Road CB7 4QT; 1 Mulberry Way CB7 4TH; 28 Juniper Drive CB7 4TT); and teas, stalls, and plants from 2 until 5pm at the fourth garden (60 Prickwillow Road CB7 4TX, off Kiln Lane. An all-garden ticket costs £2.

Village Green - Inspector’s report
23 May 2009 Five months after the public hearing, we’ve at last received the Inspector’s report on our August 2007 Village Green application. Unfortunately her recommendation to the County Council is to turn the application down. We met nearly all the criteria, but lost on what seems like an extraordinary technicality. She was satisfied that enough people, from a distinct enough locality, have used both parts of the Common, for long enough, and for a sufficiently wide range of activities. But we failed to exercise our right to do so at haymaking time, when people kept out of the way of the mower, and walked around rather than through the piles of cut grass. “They could have chosen to walk in front of the tractor or to walk across the lying lines of hay, but they did not.” That, it seems, is enough to argue that we didn’t use the Common “as of right”, and so in her view it does not qualify as a Village Green. This is an ambiguous legal area and has been subject to appeals by other groups seeking Village Green status. The County Council will make a formal decision on our application in July.

A spring clean for the Wildspace!
02 May 2009 Many thanks indeed to everyone who took part in the litter pick around the Ely Wildspace last Saturday. We collected numerous binliners of rubbish (not to mention a washing machine and a sleeping bag!). Tea and cakes were enjoyed at the sailing club afterwards in what proved to be a glorious sunny afternoon.

Summer garden party
02 May 2009 On Sunday 7 June, do come along to our Garden Party to fundraise, and spread the news about what’s happening around the Wildspace. Further details to follow.

Upcoming LCPRE activities
08 April 2009 Do come along to the forthcoming LCPRE activities which promise to be lots of fun!

• Saturday 25 April: annual Spring Clean of the Wildspace; we’re meeting at 2pm at the top of Kiln Lane (near the Environment Agency car park), and finishing with tea at the Sailing Club at 4pm.
• Saturday 25 April: joining forces with Natural England for Ely Reed Day, we’ll be digging up reed rhizomes and then making and distributing cuttings for people to care for over the following year, until they can be planted up on new reedbeds in spring 2010. Contact us or come along to the market stall if you want to be involved.
• Saturday 11 and 25 April: do come along to our stall on the Farmers’ Market and have a chat, find out more about what’s going on - or even buy one of our great bittern prints.
• Sunday 7 June: come along to our Garden Party to fundraise, and spread the news about what’s happening around the Wildspace. Further details to follow.

Birdwatchers flock to Roswell
04 March, 2009 Birdwatchers have been flocking to Roswell Pit over the past week to see a couple of great white egrets. The birds, which have gradually been shifting their distribution northwards across Europe over the past 20 years, are very rarely seen in Britain but have spent the past week roosting on trees opposite the Sailing Club, near the entrance to the river. The best time to look for them is before 6.30 in the morning, and after 5.30 in the evening. A very exciting first for the new SSSI! (photo copyright: Ben Green)

Delight as Natural England confirm SSSI
15 February, 2009 On 11 February 2009 the Board of Natural England took a unanimous decision to approve the designation of the whole of the Ely Pits and Meadows Site of Special Scientific Interest. This is a fantastic recognition of the national-level importance of this area not just for its spectacular fossils, but for the wildlife it supports as well - in particular its bitterns and other breeding waterbirds.

All objections bar one were withdrawn before the hearing, with many of the affected landowners and occupiers expressing their strong support for the new SSSI. This designation need not constrain most existing uses of the area - people will still be able to use it to walk, sail, fish, pick blackberries, cycle, and exercise their dogs. But it does mean that some management operations will require permission from Natural England, which will be refused if these would damage the site’s key features.

There’s still a long way to go in safeguarding the future of Ely’s Wildspace, but this is an extremely important milestone in the campaign, and great news for the people of Ely and its precious wildlife.

Additional information can be found on the Natural England website. To see the BBC coverage, click here.

Bittern at beet pits
09 February 2009 This stunning photograph of a bittern was taken at the beet factory settling ponds, near Queen Adelaide, in January 2009.

Ely Country Park Public Participation Events
08 January, 2009 If you care about the future of the Roswell area it’s extremely important you make your views known by going along to one of the Ely Country Park Public Participation events:

+ Thursday 15 Jan, 10-4, Babylon Gallery, Riverside
+ Saturday 17 Jan, 10-4, Ely Library

or by commenting between Jan 12th and 30th on the council's website at www.eastcambs.gov.uk

LCPRE is broadly supportive of the Country Park but has some specific concerns:
• the Country Park must have a light touch, putting the needs of wildlife first, and offering long-term protection for Ely’s remaining green spaces
• it must have low long-term running costs – so there should be no expensive buildings or walkways
• in line with the new SSSI designation, the Country Park must conserve sensitive habitats – ruling out motorboats, moorings and intrusive boardwalks at Roswell
• there should be clear zoning, with formal play and visitor facilities close to the city – away from key wildlife areas and the dangerous railway line
• the Country Park must keep Ely Common free from development.

But what do you think? If you can, please take this opportunity to have your say on how the area should be used and managed

Chettisham Meadow
08 January, 2009 Thanks to the support of local people, the Wildlife Trust for Cambridgeshire has been able to purchase Chettisham Meadow. The Wildlife Trust’s website: www.wildlifebcnp.org will tell you more about Chettisham Meadow, and how you could still help including the fundraising effort to raise an additional £2,000 to establish a water supply and make the meadow safe with fencing so that controlled grazing may take place in the future.

Bittern for Sale!
10 December, 2008 Evoking the character and wildlife of the Roswell area and the fens of East Anglia, these specially commissioned, limited edition prints are now available to purchase for just £20. Created by artist Michael Edwards, the prints come mounted and make wonderful Christmas presents for family and friends. Why not come along to the LCPRE stall in Ely market on 13 December where they will be on sale, or contact LCPRE via email (lcpre@elywildspace.org.uk) or telephone (Pat Hillman, 01353-664115)? But best hurry, while stocks last!

Village Green Public Hearing extended
07 December 2008 The public hearing to determine whether Ely Common can be designated as a Town or Village Green in Ely will continue on Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th December. The Hearing will be at the Ely Sugar Beet Social Club, Lynn Rd, Ely at the following times: Monday 8th December 10 am to 3 pm; and Tuesday 9th December 10am to completion. If you can, do please come along and show your support for Ely Common.

Fund raising auction a huge success
26 November 2008 Huge thanks to all those who came along to our auction on 22 November, where we raised over £5000 - double the organisers' target. Special thanks go to everyone who donated lots, prizes, and promises, to everyone who sold tickets, to King's School for hosting us, and to David Palmer for being such a fantastically entertaining auctioneer. The money will help meet the legal fees for our successful input at the recent hearing over ECDC’s Enforcement Notice at Roswell Pits, and for the forthcoming public inquiry about Village Green status for Ely Common.

Village Green Public Hearing
01 November 2008 Miss Lana Wood Q.C. will hold a public hearing to determine whether Ely Common can be designated as a Town or Village Green in Ely from 3rd to 5th December 2008. The Hearing will be at the Ely Sugar Beet Social Club, Lynn Rd, Ely at the following times: Wednesday 3rd December 10 am to 4 pm & 5pm -7pm; Thursday 4th December 10 am to 5 pm; Friday 5th December 10 am to 5 pm. If you can, do please come along and show your support for Ely Common.

Ely Wildspace Auction - Saturday 22nd November
01 November 2008 LCPRE will hold the Ely Wildspace Auction which takes place at the Hayward Theatre, Kings School, Ely, starting at 7 pm on Saturday 22nd November. All the money raised will go towards legal expenses for representation at the Enforcement and Village Green hearings. For further details, please click here.

Enforcement Notice Hearing held on 28 October
1 November 2008 LCPRE and Natural England made a robust case in support of ECDC's Enforcement Notice during a hearing which took place on Tuesday 28 October 2008. We were represented by our barrister Cain Ormondroyd. Six members of LCPRE spoke at the hearing and we were supported by about 20 members. The decision of the inspector will be made known within the next seven weeks.

Have your say on Ely Country Park!
15 October 2008 The consultants charged with developing a plan for ECDC's proposed Country Park are holding a public workshop to get feedback on their ideas, from 10-5 on Thursday 13 November, at Ely Library. There will be another public event in January, but this is really your chance to have a say at an early stage. The LCPRE view, developed from discussions about the Ely Wildspace at our March members' meeting, is that a Country Park may be a good idea, but that compared with the ECDC's early plans for the Park, ECDC should place more emphasis on wildlife conservation alongside informal recreation; that the Park must include Roswell, Ely Common, the river flood meadows, and Queen Adelaide Pits; and that through these changes, the Park could gain greater community support, potentially lowering long-term running costs. We don't yet know how far these suggestions will be taken up in the consultants' plan, so please go along, see for yourselves, and let the Council know what you think. To see the public invitation click here.

Enforcement Notice Hearing on 28 October
15 October 2008 The formal hearing into ECDC's Enforcement Notice against the owner of Roswell Pit and his appeal against the Notice will take place in ECDC Council Chambers, from 10am on Tuesday 28 October. LCPRE will make a presentation, but this is a public meeting, so do please come along in person to hear what is said. If you do plan to come, please notify Mrs J Human or Mrs Gawthrop at ECDC offices (01353 665555) at least two days beforehand, to ensure enough seating is available.

A rubbish weekend!!
10 October 2008 Many thanks indeed to everyone who braved the wet and windy weather to take part in the joint LCPRE/Wildlife Trust litter pick around the Ely Wildspace last Saturday. Altogether we collected more than 30 binliners of rubbish (not to mention discarded roadsigns, a tyre, and car battery) and raised well over £200 for LCPRE’s campaign to save Ely Common and for the Wildlife Trust’s appeal for buying Chettisham Meadow. Thanks to everyone who sponsored us.

Sponsored litterpick, Saturday 4 October 2008
03 October 2008 LCPRE has joined forces with the Wildlife Trust for another litterpick around Ely Wildspace, and this time it's a sponsored event. The plan is to meet at 2pm at the top of Kiln Lane, then clean up along your chosen route, before a weigh-in and tea and cakes at the Sailing Club around 4pm. You can download a sponsorship form here, but do please come along even if you're not being sponsored.

Opportunity to buy Chettisham Meadow
05 September 2008 The Wildlife Trusts have been given an exciting opportunity to buy Chettisham Meadow, a Site of Special Scientific Interest. If you would like to learn more about how to get involved, there will be a meeting on the 15th September at 7pm in The Cathedral Centre, Palace Green, Ely.
For further information on Chettisham Meadow, see http://www.wildlifebcnp.org/reserves/reserve.php?reserveid=42

Support Ely's SSSI
28 August 2008 If you would like to let Natural England know how delighted we all are to have the new SSI in Ely, and the protection it affords wildlife, you can show your support by writing to Nigel Russell, Natural England, Eastbrook, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 8DR or by emailing nigel.r.russell@naturalengland.org.uk

LCPRE's first AGM a great success
10 July 2008 We were delighted to see so many members at our first AGM in spite of the rain. The "business" part of the meeting included a report of the main events of the past year from the Chairman Andrew Balmford, a financial report from Treasurer Frank Richards, and the re-election of the present Committee. Jim Gammie from Natural England gave a presentation on the provisional SSSI designation, outlining the reasons for its designation and how it would afford protection to most of the Ely Wildspace area. Members contributed very generously; funds received will help pay for legal advice and representation to fight the appeals made against LCPRE's Village Green application and ECDC's Enforcement Notice. We celebrated with "Chateaux Common", a frisky little champagne made from elderflowers grown on Ely Common.

Celebrations as LCPRE recruits 1000th member
19 June, 2008 Following last week’s news that Natural England have provisionally designated Roswell Pits and much of the area around it a Site of Special Scientific Interest, we had more good news on Saturday, when we recruited our 1000th member, Mrs Karen Levet pictured here with her family and with LCPRE Chair Andrew Balmford.

Members are invited to LCPRE's first AGM, on Wednesday 9 July 2008
13 June, 2008 Members are invited to LCPRE's first Annual General Meeting, at 7.30 on Wed 9 July, 2008 at Ely Sailing Club. In addition to the formal business of the evening, staff from Natural England will be there to explain what exactly the SSSI status means, and of course there'll be food and drink. Further details, including an agenda for the evening, can be found here.

Roswell Pit area notified as Site of Special Scientific Interest
10 June, 2008 We are absolutely delighted by the news that Natural England has provisionally designated large parts of the Ely Wildspace as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its exceptional wetland wildlife, as well as for its unusual geology. The SSSI designation process is extremely demanding - the site must be shown to be outstanding not just locally but nationally - and this is the first SSSI to receive notification since Natural England was established in 2006. The designation now offers much of this area - including Roswell Pits, Queen Adelaide settling ponds, and the flood meadows on the west of the river - greatly enhanced protection from harmful development.

LCPRE chair Andrew Balmford said "This is a real reason for celebration. Ely can be fantastically proud that the remaining patches of nature around the city, and the wildlife they still support, have received this recognition. We now hope to work with landowners to help them meet the management needs of the SSSI, and with ECDC and others to ensure that the future of the Wildspace is properly safeguarded in the local planning process".

The full report from Natural England is available here. The BBC news report can be viewed by accessing this link.

Poor management threatens wildlife at Ely Common
28 May, 2008 The diversity of species in parts of Ely Common is under threat from excessive grass cutting. The cutting regime applied by Mr Tyrrell has involved mowing the grass to such an extent that it has prevented the variety of wild flowers in this area from flowering and regenerating. In contrast, the adjacent land owned by the Thomas Parsons Charity immediately to the west of Mr Tyrrell's part of the Common, is awash with colour from the wild flowers that are thriving there.

These include Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill (Geranium molle), Buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus), Goose Grass (Galium aparine), Germander speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys), Hoary Plantain (Plantago media), Stinging nettle (Urtica dioicia), White Dead Nettle (Lamium album), Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) Bird's Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa), Ox- Eye Daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum), Red Clover (Trifolium pratense), White Clover (Trifolium repens), Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) and Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), to name but a few.

If you would like to object to the damage already done and to encourage better management of this area, then why not consider writing a letter to the paper highlighting your concerns.

Ely Wildspace SpringClean: a load of rubbish!
30 April, 2008 In glorious spring sunshine more than sixty people took part in a Spring Clean of Ely Wildspace on Saturday 26th April. Teams of litter pickers spread out across Ely Common, around Roswell pits and along both banks of the river. Along the way they collected the usual cans and bottles plus a sofa, a trampoline, a motor, a microwave oven complete with its own box and a can of creosote. The total weight of the rubbish removed was almost a ton, excluding the sofa. The Litter pickers' afternoon ended with tea and scones on the Sailing Club lawn.

LCPRE worked with The Wildlife Trust to organize this Clean Up and were delighted with the response from young and old alike. Many thanks to all who took part. We are hoping to organize similar events through out the year so that this well loved and much used area of Ely can be kept litter free.

A special thanks to Veolia, Boots, Superdrug, Travis Perkins, Pecks and Tesco and The Ely Pound Shop for their support.

Photography competition in the Fens
19 April, 2008 The RSPB, the University Museum of Zoology in Cambridge and the Wildlife Trust have come together to give you the chance to take part a local photography competition, called 'Fens through a Lens.' Further details can be found here.

Enforcement notice served on Roswell Pit owner
07 April, 2008 East Cambridgeshire District Council have served an Enforcement Notice on the owner of Roswell Pit. The notice comes into effect on the 19th May, and it requires the owner to permanently remove the hardcore, hardstanding and installed services which have been put on the site. The Enforcement Notice states that the development at Roswell Pit is contrary to Policies 52,53, 54, 67 and 102 of the East Cambridgeshire District plan 2000. To see the Enforcement Notice, click here. To see ECDC's press release, click here.

The Ely Wildspace SpringClean - Saturday 26th April
07 April 2008 LCPRE are inviting members and non-members to join in with a much needed litterpick across the Ely Wildspace area. The event will take place in the early afternoon on Saturday 26th April. We will meet at 2.15 p.m. at the top of Kiln Lane (off Prickwillow Rd - for a map, click here) and finish at the Ely Sailing Club at Roswell Pit, where tea and scones will be available. Equipment will be provided.

Report of the LCPRE members meeting, 10 March 2008
11 March 2008 LCPRE held a very successful members meeting at the Ely Community College on the 10th March. It was very well attended despite the atrocious weather. The meeting had a dual purpose of updating the membership on recent developments and to develop the Ely Wildspace vision.

Major news included the continuing destructive work undertaken by Mr Tyrrell on Roswell Pit without planning permission and our solicitors advice given to ECDC. The objections made by Cheffins (on behalf of Mr Tyrrell) and Thomas Parsons to LCPRE’s application to protect Ely Common as a Village Green, and the proposal to designate Roswell Pit and surrounding area as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The aim of the Ely Wildsapce is to protect the remaining habitat patches around the eastern edge of Ely from harmful development, preserving it for wildlife and the continued recreational use of Ely’s population. Through small working groups the membership gave valuable input to, and showed overwhelming support for the Ely Wildspace vision. The full meeting report is available here.

Opportunity to comment on ECDC Improvement Plan
11 March 2008 East Cambridgeshire District Council (ECDC) has initiated a consultation process on an ‘Improvement Plan’ which aims to provide improvements in a number of policies and services. This is an important opportunity to respond to the priorities outlined by the East Cambridgeshire District Council including issues relating to sustainable development and the environment in Ely. All responses must be received by 31st March 2008.

Comments can be emailed to performance@eastcambs.gov.uk or posted to Performance, ECDC, Babylon Bridge, Waterside, Ely, CB7 4AU. They can also be submitted online through http://www.eastcambs.gov.uk/html/publicconsult.asp

We have highlighted a few points that might be of use when considering your response. Please click here for further information.

ECDC’s Policy and Resources Committee will be held on Wed 23 April at 4.30 in the Council Chambers in the Grange. Further information about the Improvement Plan will be considered at this meeting

Members’ meeting
We’re holding a members’ meeting to report back on developments at Roswell and crucially to get LCPRE members’ views on the vision for Ely Wildspace, from 7.30-9.30pm on Mon 10 March, in Needhams Hall at the City of Ely Community College.The evening will include a short talk about the importance of wild spaces by Robert MacFarlane (author of The Wild Places, recently featured on BBC Radio 4), and an overview by Helen Smith (of the Little Ouse Headwaters Project) showing how one East Anglian community is already managing to conserve its wild areas. All members are very welcome – it’s vitally important that we hear your views.

Continued damage to Roswell Pit
In stark contrast to the sensitive approach being adopted at Queen Adelaide, work at Roswell has, over the past few months, continued to be needlessly destructive. Over the summer a kingfisher nest was reportedly destroyed, and a spectacular water lily bed removed. Since then a new track has been built in the woods – with no permission from Natural England; other work has continued even though previous permission has lapsed; several rusting boats have been left on the Pit; the flower-rich meadow of Ely Common, which had been carefully managed for over a century, has been severely damaged by being mown far too often; and most recently, the owner has been served a warrant by the Environment Agency for dumping household waste (including wire, carpet and plastic) around the edge of his bank-side concrete plinths

Queen Adelaide Settling Ponds/Ely Beet Pits
As many local birdwatchers know, these former settling ponds have developed into exceptionally important wildlife habitat, supporting significant populations of bitterns, marsh harriers, bearded tits, otters and water voles. However, the Potter Group, which acquired the site along with the rest of the former beet factory, faces a serious dilemma: the water is held above ground level but the bank retaining it is inadequately engineered to meet the requirements of the Reservoirs Act 1975.

Rebuilding the bank would be prohibitively expensive. Instead the owners’ consultants have spent over a year liaising with the Wildlife Trust, Natural England, the Environment Agency and RSPB to develop a plan to dewater the main, northern lagoon (so it is no longer classed as a reservoir) while providing new, below-ground reedbeds and open water in the south of the site. They submitted these plans and a full Environmental Impact Assessment to ECDC in December 2007; importantly these documents recognise the inter-dependence of the remaining habit fragments in this area, and hence the importance of securing a long-term future for all of them.

LCPRE and the statutory consultees believe these plans are now close to representing the best possible outcome for the site. Although there will be unavoidable losses to wildlife habitat over the short term, we understand that there will be net gains in 5 to10 years’ time, by which stage the site may be handed over to a local organisation to be managed as a nature reserve. If it progresses as planned, this project will represent a great demonstration of effective environmental mitigation.

Village Green application
LCPRE has applied to Cambridgeshire County Council to have the whole of Ely Common recognised as a Village Green. In many ways this would give it the same status as an official common (which many Ely residents assumed it already had).The application was posted around the site on 10 January 2008. Objections must be received by 21 February. We hope to hear the outcome of the application shortly after that.

Developing the Ely Wildspace vision
Since October 2007 we have been meeting with representatives of both the Wildlife Trust and ECDC to develop and explore the Ely Wildspace vision. LCPRE and the Wildlife Trust have identified key areas, stretching from the A142 along the Great Ouse as far as Queen Adelaide, whose protection we believe is vital if the area’s wildlife and people enjoyment of it are to have a long-term future.

Certificate of Lawfulness part 2
On 17 August ECDC determined that Mr Tyrrell’s Certificate of Lawfulness application was “indeterminable”, because the forms were completed incorrectly. Nevertheless, they offered their informal opinion that the proposal to use the pit for recreational cruising of boats, and for temporary mooring, would not require planning permission. The officer signing this advice left ECDC shortly afterwards.

ECDC’s opinion was directly contradictory to LCPRE’s legal advice, which we submitted to ECDC eight days previously. In our barrister’s opinion, all the individual elements of the Certificate of Lawfulness application added up to a marina, which under European law cannot be developed without planning permission and a full Environmental Impact Assessment. The Environment Agency, the Wildlife Trust, RSPB and Natural England all submitted similarly robust comments to ECDC that were in agreement with our barrister’s advice. To date LCPRE has still not received a reply to our comments.

Application for a Certificate of Lawfulness
On 6 July 2007 Mr Tyrrell, the new owner of the largest pit, applied to East Cambridgeshire District Council for a Certificate of Lawfulness which, if granted, will allow him to carry out extensive work and moor unspecified numbers of motor boats without planning permission.

A Certificate of Lawfulness is a strange device and unlike a Planning Application is not subject to public objections or comments. The decision is made by East Cambridgeshire District Council planners and lawyers, who will judge the application (within eight weeks of receipt) solely on its legal merits and not on the impact of the proposed development.

The application covers a dozen proposals that fall into two groups. The first set is about recreational use of motorized boats on the pit, and providing them with moorings along the bankside and on pontoons; the proposals are unclear about how many boats are involved. The second group of proposals concerns managing the land and water, and installing services, a tea hut, hard standing for a crane, car parking, fencing up to 2m high around the site, and putting an area of hardcore on the Site of Special Scientific Interest for the storage of plant and machinery.

We believe that these activities together entail a significant change of use for the site and that as such they should be subject to planning permission. We believe this change of use and the work itself will have permanent detrimental effects on the wildlife and amenity values of this special area. We also note that much of the work – trench-digging, laying of services, mooring of pontoons - has already been started. In our view a full planning application enabling everyone to see and comment on the full extent of Mr Tyrrell's plans would have been a far better option. If you share any of our concerns please let your local councillors know.

Tree Preservation Order
On 29 May 2007, ECDC approved LCPRE’s application to have the remaining woodland around the main Roswell Pit protected by a Tree Preservation Order. This means that permission is needed before any more tree work can be undertaken, and work done without permission could lead to prosecution.