CONCERNS over the massive environmental impact of the Lower Thames Crossing were aired at last night's (Monday, 15 February) meeting of Thurrock Council's Lower Thames Crossing Task Force.

Members were given a detailed briefing on landscape design and green infrastructure from a team of specialists from Highways England, led by Clare Donnelly who talked the task force through the impacts on the land the new route will be affecting.

Largely she concentrated on the adverse impact on wildlife - particularly invertebrates and insects though badgers, bats and water voles were among the animals included. She also spoke about the impact on fields and woodland – and was somewhat taken aback when it was pointed out that the work in front of members did not include the fact that part of the area affected was protected ancient woodland.

She said the driving force behind the scheme was to improve the local bio-diversity and added: "We want to ensure that whatever we put back will be better than what is lost."

She talked about forging a 'green corridor' through the borough and said that at the end of the scheme there would be a biodiversity net gain because of the project.

Cllr Luke Spillman was somewhat skeptical. He said: "In terms of invertebrates and insects although it would be amusing to watch hundreds of Highways England workers catching individual insects and moving them to different locations, that's not going to happen is it? You are going to destroy hundreds of thousands of insects.

"Are you entirely confident that these new areas that you are building after that devastation will allow repopulation of those species?

"And also, in terms of insects and invertebrates, a motorway is extremely dangerous and you are going to have a huge and much higher mortality in these species in terms of them being next to a road and some of those species might not even take to being so close to a road. So are you confident that in terms of biodiversity we are going to see something better than what we have got at the moment because I am doubtful about that to put it mildly?"

Ms Donnelly responded by saying: "In Thurrock we are mainly going through fields and many of the modern fields we have at the moment are not great for bio diversity but we will be trying to get farmers to put back hedgerows for example and produce a more sustainable form of farming.

"A lot of the stuff that we are taking out is not particularly high value but where we take things out like Low Street pit, which is of very high value, but it is a relatively small area we are going to put back much bigger areas.

"So ultimately I am quite confident that we will be providing better bio diversity in Thurrock than when we arrived.

Thames Crossing action group member Laura Blake appeared unimpressed with the presentation and said: "It's nice to be getting the presentation and information that we have been asking for for so long" but she was somewhat skeptical about the details, saying: "You are telling us about migration, but they are not necessarily going to know to go and use them are they.

"And are you actually considering the Wilderness ( an area of local woodland) as the ancient woodland that it is because there has not been any reference to it being ancient woodland, when it is?"

Ms Donnelly said: "No. As far as I know it's not designated as ancient woodland. It's the first time I have heard it suggested it be ancient woodland.

Ms Blake said: "Local history and knowledge will back up the fact it is. It goes back a long way and is definitely an ancient woodland. Can I ask that this is something you look into and take on board?

She also questioned the veracity and of some of the mitigating factors present, including the creation of a 'green bridge' over North road which she believed was not being properly represented to the task force, saying: "I zoomed in on the image and the structure looks to be a lot more concrete rather than green. It's not what people consider to be a wildlife crossing bridge."

Committee chair Cllr Fraser Massey questioned the timescale of the programme saying:

"Residents of Thurrock are going to have a lot of disruption because of a project of this size, no matter how much mitigation you put in place that's always going to be an issue.

"When it comes to thing like the 22 kilometers of upgraded travel routes for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, are these things that residents will only get the benefit of and be able to use at the end of everything when the while project is delivered or will they be opened up on a phased structure so as things become available to be used then residents can start using them?

Ms Donnelly said: "We have been doing a little bit more thinking about how it might be rolled out."

Her college Ben Craggs added: "We have done a little bit of thinking on that be we are not that far advanced in terms of knowing which parts will be open during the construction process but we will endeavor to open things when it's reasonable to open them rather than have them finished, ready and sat there closed."

Ms Donnelly also added: "We have been very focused on the permanent case and we will have to look a little bit more at the construction phase. We need to look at the impact at the pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders."

There were more questions from members of the group as the process was talked through, but it was clear not everyone was won over and many questions remain.

The mood of a number of members was perhaps summed best by Cllr John Allen who said it was inevitable that the new route was going: "To drive a stake through the beating heart of Thurrock."