IN reply to Mr Ingram's letter (June 16), I was one of three people who, with James Mortimer, a voluntary impartial individual with knowledge of amphibians, found the great crested newts on the Derwenthorpe site.
Mr Mortimer is qualified to make this identification having worked as an ecologist for such organisations as the North & East Yorkshire Ecological Data Centre, Pond Life Project, Froglife and a commercial ecological consultancy.
I am in possession of a letter written by a retired Osbaldwick parish councillor which states that a breeding site of crested newts was found in 1992 by York University, and the then members of the parish council, and as far as he can remember it was registered.
As is said in most of the papers submitted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, this assessment has been prepared in support of a planning application for the development.
At least James Mortimer was a volunteer and not paid by anyone.
Cllr W M Kettlestring,
Yew Tree Mews,
Osbaldwick.
Updated: 11:11 Tuesday, June 22, 2004
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