Calls for national nature reserve
Sunday 30th September 2007, 2:00PM BST.
Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard is calling for part of a former sugar beet factory at Allscott, near Wellington, to be turned into a national wildlife and nature reserve.
He has written to owners British Sugar asking for it to back the move, saying it would boost the area’s tourism and the economy.
Mr Pritchard said the site could be the county’s “natural jewel in the crown” because of its bird-watching potential.
The MP has already met with Shropshire Wildlife Trust officials at the 350-acre site and written to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to highlight its importance.
British Sugar has held talks with English Nature and Shropshire Wildlife Trust over ways to protect the wetlands and the wildlife trust eventually hopes to buy 116 acres for a nature reserve.
The partly-contaminated site, which was closed in February, has already attracted interest from would-be developers.
Mr Pritchard said: “British Sugar will be looking to maximise their profits from the sale of the land, but the existing green parts of the site should and could be made into a wildlife and nature reserve of national importance.
“Such a move would be a real boost for local tourism and Wellington’s traders.”
Mr Pritchard said bird-watching was an all year round interest.
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never min nature trails, get the sugar beet plant back open again
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Tony, despite the best efforts of Mark Pritchard and the Borough Council, British Sugar decided to stick the V up to their loyal workforce and the region’s farmers.
They have been dismantling it for some time.
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I was born and spent all my school days at Allscott where my father was the General Manager. If I remember correctly he was one of the first to realise the wild life potential of the water treatment ponds. I think that it would be a wonderful tribute to him if this area was turned into a Bird Santuary.
I would love to be kept informed of the outcome as I now live in
Wellington, Western Cape, South Africa, so can’t easily visit.
David Brett
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