| Latest update (July 08): Thanks for the flood of public support for the campaign! People have been writing to Royal Mail asking them what's going on, and have received a standard response that 'Royal Mail is not moving to the proposed site at West Thurrock Marshes' and is now looking at alternative sites. There is still doubt as to whether this commitment is also for the future - so we have asked them to confirm this to us in writing. We are currently awaiting a reply. |
Buglife – The Invertebrate Conservation Trust has announced that it is appealing the High Court decision to allow the construction of a Royal Mail Distribution Centre on a leading wildlife site and is also launching a new public campaign against the Royal Mail development.
| Find out below about how you can get involved |
Buglife to fight on
The appeal is the latest twist in a two-year battle to save West Thurrock Marshes, one of the richest and most important wildlife sites in the UK. Buglife took the Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation to the High Court in February to try to save the Marshes, which are home to more rare and endangered animals than many of our finest nature reserves. But, in a ruling that was condemned by conservationists as a huge setback for the UK’s wildlife protection laws, Mr Justice Mitting pronounced that in this case the proposed Royal Mail warehouses and lorry park were more important than the endangered wildlife.
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| West Thurrock Marshes - under threat © Greg Hitchcock |
Royal Mail's new insect stamps - 'spin over substance'
The Buglife appeal seeks to reverse that ruling. So far Royal Mail have shown scant regard for the insects that its development is set to destroy – and Buglife Director Matt Shardlow isn’t impressed: "The fact that the Royal Mail is launching a set of stamps featuring endangered insects while their own plans will endanger many of our rarest insects is a classic example of spin over substance,” says Shardlow. “Today we call on Royal Mail to stop stamping out wildlife – there are lots of alternative sites for this development that are not home to endangered animals.”
Stop them stamping out our wildlife!
To coincide with their new campaign ‘Stop them stamping out our wildlife’ Buglife has prepared its own range of ‘stamps’, featuring some of the endangered insects threatened by the development, including the Brown-banded carder bee and the Distinguished jumping spider.
The campaign could not be more timely: recently the unelected quango Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation decided to ‘fire’ Thurrock Council – the elected local authority – and from next year will be dealing with all planning issues itself, a move that could leave many other wildlife sites vulnerable to development.
| We need your help! There are three ways that your support can make a difference: 1. Join Buglife - join online or download a paper form here 2. Make a donation - donate online or download our 'Stop them stamping out our wildlife' leaflet here, to send your donation by post 3. Write a letter to Royal Mail - today it is time to call Royal Mail to account and to ask them why they are going to build on a nationally important wildlife site. Please write to:
Adam Crozier (Chief Executive), Royal Mail Group, 148 Old Street, LONDON EC1V 9HQ
- Ask why Royal Mail are going to build on West Thurrock Marshes – one of the richest and most important wildlife sites in the UK
- Ask Royal Mail not to build and to help Buglife protect the site for the rare bugs and other animals that live there Thank you for your kind support |
