Norfolk Homes has given the village of Poringland 13 acres of land just behind the Community Centre.
The Parish Council has held public consultations on how to use this land and the SWYG has put in two submissions. The first was for a wildlife garden to be included which was one of 15 received calling for a wildlife area. When the Council asked for more submissions in July 2017, SYWG asked for features specifically favouring pollinators to be included noting that the site could be said to be the source of the River Chet and thus would be the logical place for the Chet B-Line to start. See the Poringland Parish Council website for more information.
The Parish Council has appointed a consultant to advise on what is feasible although an outline of what the Council is thinking is already available. A master plan is on the Council’s website and includes an astro-turf sports field with floodlights, a running track, a skate board park, allotments, a wilded area around the Chet Springs and perhaps a wildflower meadow. SYWG and the Berghapton Conservation Trust and some individuals have recently written to the Council praising the Council for the wilded area proposal but asking for the Project to be designated as the start of the Chet B-Line. The letters have been passed to the Project’s working group and there the matter rests for the moment.
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust has told me it supports the Chet B-Line, one of its officers has described it as a wonderful idea.
The Chet B-Line would extend from Poringland and end where the Chet joins the Yare near Reedham. Mid-way is the Berghapton Conservation Trust’s 10 acre reserve which is adjacent to a grassed over District Council landfill site while near the mouth is Chedgrave Common. There is also the Woodland Trust’s property at Sisland so there are several focus areas already in place.
This also fits well with the purpose of SYWG’s lottery grant. The grant specifically says it is for work with local communities to enhance biodiversity by creating corridors from hot spots. The Chet B-Line therefore would seem to meet all the requirements of the lottery grant.
B-Lines are a Buglife initiative which are nectar rich corridors to promote the conservation of pollinators. They are one of the ways that the UK government’s National Pollinator Strategy can be implemented. This Strategy was announced by the UK Government in 2014. Buglife has established B-Lines around Derby, in the north east of England and on the south coast near Brighton. The Chet B-Line would be the first in Norfolk.
Get in touch with us if you would you like to be involved.
– Rodney Aldis
