A PARISH council sent a complaint to watchdogs after claims the ecology assessment made for a large development misrepresented the value of the land.
Plans for 221 homes in Brook Meadows, Tiptree were submitted to Colchester Council last year.
The application drew in hundreds of objections including residents, botanists from across the UK, the parish council, and the RSPB.
READ MORE: Anger as plans are unveiled for 221 new homes on beloved open space in village
A major issue was the ecological appraisal produced by Aspect Ecology, who allegedly presented the area as low-value scrubland.
The report said: “The proposals have sought to minimise impacts and subject to the implementation of appropriate avoidance, mitigation and compensation measures, it is considered unlikely that the proposals will result in significant harm to biodiversity.
“On the contrary, the opportunity exists to provide a number of biodiversity net gains as part of the proposals.”
A letter from Tiptree Parish Council has now been sent to the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management countering this.
The letter was drafted by councillor Jonathan Greenwood, chairman of the Tiptree Neighbourhood Plan.
He said: “It is claimed the meadow is a ‘habitat that is not uncommon in the area’.
“It is classified as ‘rough’ or ‘semi-improved grassland’ suffering scrub encroachment and infrequent management.
“In reality, it is an Essex priority habitat and is protected in Colchester’s Local Plan policies.
“The ecological appraisal by Aspect Ecology is a travesty of objectivity.
“The value of this site has been consistently under played in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to present this Local Wildlife Site as suitable for development.”
He added the parish council is not indifferent to the needs of the owner of the private land and would like to negotiate with him concerning the meadow’s future.
The Essex Wildlife Trust was also a strong objector to the plans when they were first revealed, calling it an “ecologically harmful development”.
According to the trust, the 37.6-hectare site includes six species of orchid including the prized green-winged orchid, southern marsh orchid, and the rare greater tongue orchid.
Spokeswoman Annie Gordon said: “We are in a climate and nature emergency, which is already having profound impacts on the environment.
“The proposal is in direct conflict with Government aspirations for nature’s recovery.
“The development will result in the unacceptable loss of a significant proportion of Inworth Grange Pits, a designated Local Wildlife Site.
“It will also result in a damaging increase in recreational impacts on retained habitats and an overall significant and measurable net loss in biodiversity.”
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