30,000 sign petition to save badgers from flats near London Underground station

More than 30,000 people desperate to save a group of urban badgers have urged a West London council to block a housing development.

The group has signed a petition to protect a strip of woodland where the badgers live in Harrow’s Pinner Road next to the Metropolitan line London Underground station.

There are plans to build 46 flats across four blocks at the site but environmental campaigners fear this would disturb local wildlife.

They are particularly concerned about the impact on the badger sett and said damaging the habitat would force the animals onto nearby roads.

READ MORE:Tower blocks near London Underground station could still go up as Sadiq Khan reviews plans

The petition, launched just three months ago, claims: “This will cause complete destruction of the woodland which is home to a family of badgers and other animals and a plethora of flora and fauna, which include protected trees. Let’s get this piece of woodland protected.”

It has captured the attention of wildlife lovers across the country, with comments on Harrow Council’s planning portal coming from people living in Bath, Swansea and Liverpool.

Hampshire based objector Barry Staff urged Harrow Council to “do the right thing” by rejecting the application to protect “all sentient beings” at the site.

Julia Gretton, writing from Nottingham, said animals were often “persecuted” in the UK and called on councillors to “have the decency and morality” to stand up for them.

At the same time, many of those opposing the plans are local and are concerned about Harrow losing more of its green spaces.

Objector Amanda Smith said the borough was “turning into a concrete jungle” and urged the council to “leave this land alone”.

The campaign has the support of Harrow Green Party members, who said the proposed development would only add to pollution problems in the area.

They said the land acted as an important barrier against the risk of flooding, which would be removed if it was concreted over.

A date has not yet been set for when the planning application will be reviewed by the council’s planning committee.

Planning agent DLPB has been contacted for comment. In the application, the developer claimed as much green space as possible would be kept.

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https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/30000-sign-petition-save-badgers-22805851

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