Charity fears 450-home site could threaten birds

A wildlife charity is objecting to plans for 450 new homes due to concerns they could threaten resident nightingales.

Homes England's proposals is for land next to the Chattenden Woods and Lodge Hill Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on the Hoo Peninsula in Kent.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) says the area is the most important nightingale site in the UK and is home to more than 1% of the country's population which could be disturbed by humans and pet cats if the plan is approved.

Homes England said extensive surveys had allowed it to understand how future impact could be avoided and its plan had been shaped in consultation with ornithological experts.

A spokesperson for the developers said: "They [the proposals] are evidence-based and designed to minimise risks to nightingales, with clear measures in place to mitigate any impacts.

"As part of our long-term commitment to nature-positive objectives, the plans include significant improvements to nightingale habitat across the wider Lodge Hill estate."

Concerns about the impact housing could have on nightingales in the area were also raised in 2013, and they were flagged again 10 years later.

The RSPB says nightingales usually return to the same place to nest every year and nest on, or near, the ground so their eggs and young are at higher risk.

It added that the UK's population of nightingales had already suffered a 41% decrease between 1995-2023.

RSPB spokesperson Alan Johnson said: "The excellent habitat management that Homes England has undertaken on the Chattenden Woods and Lodge Hill SSSI is really positive and has resulted in a recent increase in breeding nightingales there.

"But their latest proposal would do long-term damage to the country's most important site for this iconic bird."

Homes England said the proposal would allow "an underused brownfield site to be reused for much-needed homes, while protecting and enhancing the local environment."

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