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Bill Oddie |
Wildlife plan is 'quackers'
WILDLIFE experts – including the broadcaster Bill Oddie
– have reacted with horror to proposals to move fish, ducks
and swans wholesale from Kenwood to make way for the annual
concerts in the grounds of the Hampstead mansion.
The scheme, which ecologists say is unworkable, is part of a
raft of proposals that include building a floating stage in
the middle of a lake and increasing the sound levels from 12
to 15 decibels.
Hampstead-based bird expert Bill Oddie said the plans for the
wildlife were “nonsense”.
He said: “Thankfully that is not a wildlife pond –
there can’t be much in there because it is very peaty.
But it’s complete nonsense to say you can take things out
and put them back in. They don’t know what they are talking
about.”
John Hunt, chairman of the Marylebone Birdwatching Society said
that any increase in noise levels would upset the delicate ecology
of the Heath.
He said: “The concerts have already affected bird life
on the Heath. I think the harm has been done already. They should
be lowering the noise levels and reducing the quantity of the
fireworks displays.”
This year’s concerts, which start on June 24, include performances
by Ronan Keating, The Beautiful South, Art Garfunkel, and Dirty
Dancing: The Musical, based on the cult 1980’s film starring
Patrick Swayze.
A spokesperson from International Management Group (IMG) which
organises the lucrative dates for English Heritage, said: “Any
wildlife will be removed with care and attention for the season
and then put back humanely.”
They added the new soundproofed stage – using a dome to
reduce the noise – would be “moved forward over the
pond so there won’t be such a vast distance from the audience
to the stage”.
The plans to increase the size of the sound system has dismayed
fed-up Kenwood neighbours, who have waged a long-running battle
with IMG over noise pollution.
Heath and Hampstead Society vice-chairman Tony Ghilchik said:
“The mind boggles. If you look at the area of the stage
at the moment you can’t imagine how it’s going to
work on water. We need to find out exactly what they are planning
before we start jumping around but I can’t see how it’s
going to be acceptable.”
Mr Ghilchik added: “Increasing the sound limit from 12
to 15 decibels may not sound very much but it is effectively
doubling the sound levels which is a horrific idea. There is
no justification for it.”
Harley Atkinson, an IT consultant from Fitzroy Park whose home
backs on to the concert area and who had sound engineers in
his garden last year to measure the amount of noise from the
concerts said he was “completely and utterly” fed
up with the latest proposals.
Mr Atkinson was forced to tranquilise his dog with valium last
year because of noise from the concert’s firework displays.
He said: “What they are proposing in terms of reducing
the noise leakage is pretty speculative. If they get away with
this application, things would be even worse.”
Robin Fairlie, chairman of the Highgate Society, accused IMG
bosses of pushing their luck, adding: “They have broken
all the conditions set for them each year but despite this they
keep on pushing and angling for more. It’s disgraceful.”
Questioned about the proposals, an IMG spokeswoman said it would
be “inappropriate for the company to make a comment at
this stage”. |
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