HOUSING plans in the west of York would harm a vital wildlife haven in the area, a campaigner has warned

Emma Farley runs a hedgehog hospital near Knapton Lane, nursing injured or poorly animals back to health before releasing them back into the wild in woodlands and fields near her home.

She is speaking out against a housing plan that she says will destroy a valuable area of cherished woodland, which is a haven for hedgehogs and many other animals.

Emma, who runs the Little Silver Hedgehog hospital, said: "Knapton Lane provides a perfect spot for release, with access to extensive nearby hedgerows and mature gardens. I’ve released hedgehogs in the area of copse threatened with destruction.

"As well as hedgehogs, it is home to a wealth of other wildlife including bats, owls, sparrowhawks, frogs and newts. The housing development will destroy this important area for local nature conservation. We need to safeguard green areas for the benefit of wildlife and our own wellbeing."

York Press:

Emma Farley

Hedgehog numbers are in decline nationally and it is thought that less than a million are left compared with 30 million a few decades ago, she added.

"Whilst I appreciate the need for more homes in York, greenbelt sites should always be a last resort," Emma said.

The site at the end of Knapton Lane is the subject of development plans by Indigo Planning consultancy. They are proposing 14 new houses on the land which is sandwiched between the gardens of homes on Knapton Lane and Lochrin Place, and open farmland.

York Press:

The proposed development is site marked in red

In early August, City of York Council issued a tree preservation order for part of the north of the site, which raised hopes among local residents who do not want to see the copse built on.

An ecological report compiled by Envirotech chartered surveyors said that although bats are known to occur in the area, there was no conclusive evidence of any specifically protected species.

It also said that any vegetation which would be destroyed by the house building has "low ecological significance".