Will Skylarks, Yellow Wagtails and Spotted Flycatchers be casualties of Duchy of Cornwall's Kent housing ambition?

Yellow Wagtail - vulnerable

IT remains to be seen how the birdlife on farmland owned by Prince William will be affected by a forthcoming housing development south of  Faversham in Kent.

At a meeting this week, Swale Borough Council planners approved the first phase of a scheme that will ultimately lead to some 2,500 homes being built on a 323-acre site.

The land is part of the Duchy of Cornwall whose management has pledged to enhance biodiversity - for instance, by creating ponds and planting trees and wildflower meadows.

However, it acknowledge that the project may create  pressure for nesting Skylarks, Yellow Wagtails, Spotted Flycatchers and Yellowhammers - birds that may well vacate the site either during construction or soon thereafter.

Therefore, the Duchy states that "mitigating" habitat will be created at another site, though no details have been provided.

The most recent breeding bird survey, conducted in 2023, revealed the presence of no fewer than 42 species including the following nine that are of Red-listed status: 

*Herring Gull

* Skylark

* Starling

* Mistle Thrush

* Spotted Flycatcher

* House Sparrow

* Yellow Wagtail

* Linnet

* Yellowhammer) 

and 11 species that are of Amber-listed status:

* Stock Dove

* Woodpigeon

* Snipe 

* Black-headed Gull

* Lesser Black-backed Gull

* Kestrel

* Whitethroat

* Wren

* Song Thrush

* Dunnock 

* Meadow Pipit 

Nearby, two other notable species - Cuckoo and Little Owl - were also recorded.

Meanwhile, in winter, four daytime surveys - conducted between November 25, 2022 and February 5, 2023 - recorded the continued presence of some of the summer residents, such as Skylarks and Mistle Thrushes, plus  Fieldfares, Redwings, Tawny Owl and Great Spotted Woodpecker

And two winter night-time surveys identified  flocks of Lapwings and Golden Plovers.

In commentary accompanying the survey data, the Duchy of Cornwall notes: "Recreational disturbance arising from new residents, such as dogs off leads, and increased predation rates from domestic cats is  likely to extend beyond the application site boundary.  

"In the latter case, there is evidence cats have a home range of approximately 300 to 400 metres."

It is understood that the Duchy has agreed to locate "between 100 and 200 bat boxes" on the development, but whether there will also be Swiftbricks is uncertain. 

It is not known when work will start on the project.

Farmland earmarked for the housing estate

Above and below: Green and leafy - artist's impressions of how the completed site might look