Latest news with #NorthEastSomersetCouncil
BBC News
11-04-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Toad patrol helps 50,000 to breeding grounds
Charlcombe Toad Rescue A toad patrol group is celebrating after successfully helping 50,000 amphibians reach their breeding grounds over the past three decades. The Charlcombe Toad Rescue Group hopped to the aid of nearly 4,000 toads, frogs and newts as they crossed Charlcombe Lane, near Bath, during this year's migration season alone. A 0.5 mile (0.8km) stretch of the road has been closed for six weeks between February and March each year since 2003 to prevent the migrating toads from being squashed by traffic. About 50 volunteers go on patrol each night and have spent more than 600 hours a year helping amphibians make the crossing. The group has been closing the road in agreement with Bath and North East Somerset Council for more than 20 years. It is one of only four closures of its kind in the country. Chris Melbourne, who manages the collection of data for the Charlcombe Toad Rescue said it had been a "game changer" for the local amphibian population. He said reaching the milestone of helping 50,000 amphibians could not have been done without the support of nearby residents. Before the closure of Charlcombe Lane, the casualty amphibian casualty rate during mating season was 62%. In 2025, it was 3%. There was an exciting first for the rescuers in 2025, with a Great Crested Newt spotted for the first time the group's history. The volunteers take every precaution to escort the migration, using latex-free, powder-free gloves so as to avoid any chemicals from their hands harming the amphibians. The group says changes in the climate make it harder for the group to keep of the toads. Mr Melbourne said it was becoming "increasingly difficult" to predict the peak times for amphibian movements. "Closing the road for six weeks makes such a difference," he added. Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Toads Newts Frogs Bristol Bath and North East Somerset Council Wildlife conservation
BBC News
11-04-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Bath toad patrol group helps 50,000 to breeding grounds
A toad patrol group is celebrating after successfully helping 50,000 amphibians reach their breeding grounds over the past three Charlcombe Toad Rescue Group hopped to the aid of nearly 4,000 toads, frogs and newts as they crossed Charlcombe Lane, near Bath, during this year's migration season alone.A 0.5 mile (0.8km) stretch of the road has been closed for six weeks between February and March each year since 2003 to prevent the migrating toads from being squashed by 50 volunteers go on patrol each night and have spent more than 600 hours a year helping amphibians make the crossing. The group has been closing the road in agreement with Bath and North East Somerset Council for more than 20 years. It is one of only four closures of its kind in the country. Chris Melbourne, who manages the collection of data for the Charlcombe Toad Rescue said it had been a "game changer" for the local amphibian population. He said reaching the milestone of helping 50,000 amphibians could not have been done without the support of nearby residents. Before the closure of Charlcombe Lane, the casualty amphibian casualty rate during mating season was 62%. In 2025, it was 3%. There was an exciting first for the rescuers in 2025, with a Great Crested Newt spotted for the first time the group's history. The volunteers take every precaution to escort the migration, using latex-free, powder-free gloves so as to avoid any chemicals from their hands harming the group says changes in the climate make it harder for the group to keep of the Melbourne said it was becoming "increasingly difficult" to predict the peak times for amphibian movements."Closing the road for six weeks makes such a difference," he added.
BBC News
10-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Bath Recycling Centre: Locksbrook Road site to open despite objections
Plans for a recycling centre have been approved despite nearly 200 objections from residents and site in Bath is expected to open in summer 2026 and will replace an existing city centre site on Midland Road, where 176 homes are being claim the new site, at Locksbrook Road, is too small, could cause heavy traffic congestion and is at risk of leaders of Bath and North East Somerset Council, which on Wednesday approved the plans, said the centre will be "state of the art" and any negative traffic impact will be "limited". Campaigners staged a protest outside Bath's Guildhall ahead of the meeting. Following the decision, members of the Stop the Locksbrook Tip group said they were "disappointed, but entirely unsurprised".A total of 189 people lodged objections online, while five others wrote comments of support. The facility will process 20% less waste than the Midland Road centre, and will not accept DIY, electronics, hazardous waste, batteries, tyres, oil, asbestos or gas items will now need to be taken to Keynsham Recycling Centre on Pixash Lane. Speaking in favour of the plans, Chris Beaver of environmental consultancy PlanningSphere said the Midland Road site was due to close and the new location would keep recycling in Bath. Waste will not be processed at the site itself. Instead skips will be collected when they are full and taken to the Keynsham Midland Road site will remain open until Locksbrook centre is ready.
BBC News
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Bath's Grade II listed Parade Gardens is dropping its entry fees
A popular city park is dropping its entry fees from April after a pilot helped attract more than 29,000 visitors over eight currently costs adults £2.50 to enter the Grade II listed Parade Gardens in Bath, which has views of Pulteney Weir and Bath Abbey, and £1.50 for after Bath and North East Somerset Council trialled free entry in October half term, it decided to remove fees from April until the end of the year.A council spokesperson said it hopes this will make Parade Gardens "accessible and inclusive for everyone". During the pilot, visitors were able to explore the gardens' colonnades – columns that sit below the city's Grand Parade – as well as an undercroft and vaults, and a medieval Paul Roper said "hidden histories of the colonnades" were shared during the trial, which "captured public imagination". "We plan to build on this interest by providing more exciting activities in the gardens later this year," he added. 'Magnificent views' The authority is planning to open the colonnades for visitors during the weekend of May 30 and June 1, alongside a food and drink Tim Ball said the authority was "extremely proud of the iconic Parade Gardens".The gardens are renowned for their "stunning flowerbed displays and magnificent views", he park is being opened up as part of a council regeneration scheme, called Bath Central scheme was awarded £548,000 of grant funding from the West of England Combined Authority in 2023, alongside £232,000 of funding from the council.
BBC News
19-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
South Stoke: Developer loses appeal to build 290 homes
A developer has failed in a second attempt to get permission to build 290 homes on fields near Hignett Family Trust's initial proposal to develop land on the South Stoke plateau was rejected by Bath and North East Somerset Council last trust said the decision was "unreasonable" and appealed to the Planning the appeal, the inspectorate said the development would have an "adverse effect" on the Cotswolds landscape and that councillors were right to refuse permission. The land sits within Bath's World Heritage Site and the Cotswolds National Landscape (the National Landscape term has replaced "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty").The 290 houses, 40% of which were designated as affordable homes, would have been built as part of the trust's "Sulis Down" trust has already built 170 Sulis Down homes, on land just west of the South Stoke land earmarked for Sulis Down was taken out of the green belt 10 years ago, for a "mixed-use" development of up to 300 homes, according to the Local Democracy Reporting 290 homes, added to the existing 170, would have exceeded this figure by more than half. After rejecting the appeal, planning inspector Tom Gilbert-Wooldridge said: "It is unlikely that any amount of suitable planting would be sufficient to visually screen the housing during the day or night."Therefore, there would be an adverse effect on the special qualities of the [Cotswolds National Landscape] in terms of views of the escarpment and high wolds landscape as well as dark skies."Somerset is facing a significant housing shortage, however, and Hignett Family Trust had said the homes would be "a beautiful new addition to the city of Bath". But locals warned they would cause "carmageddon" on from the South of Bath Alliance (Soba), alongside the council and local parish councils, raised £13,000 for a lawyer to fight the which held a protest against the homes at the initial planning decision in April 2024, thanked the "many volunteers" who helped "ensure the community's voice was heard"."This is a major success for [the council], South Stoke and Combe Hay parish councils and for the community members who have worked tirelessly over the past 12 years to oppose this excessive development," a spokesperson said. Hignett Family Trust is now expected to block public access to the popular walking routes along the field boundaries on its Sulis Down of the trust's submissions to the appeal inquiry said: "If the appeal is dismissed, that the appellant will then take immediate action to prevent further public access."
