ANGER over the mowing by developer of the lower meadows on Alton’s Treloar Hospital site has led to a decision by Preserve Treloar Meadows campaigners to report a wildlife crime.

The move follows the discovery last Monday that all the lower section of the meadow land had been mown and staked out by a team of surveyors.

Having lodged a protest “in the strongest terms” with the agents for developer, Crest Nicholson, Preserve Treloar Meadows acting chairman Ginny Boxall was informed that the mowing had been undertaken to pave the way for an archaeological geophysical survey to be undertaken.

Incensed by the decision to mow at a highly sensitive time for the site’s flora and fauna, and believing it to be an illegal act when threatening the existence of protected species like slow worms, Mrs Boxall registered a wildlife crime with Hampshire Constabulary’s Wildlife Protection Officer, copied to East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) planners, Alton Town Council, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Butterfly Conservation, and district MP Damian Hinds.

Mrs Boxall wrote: “The developer has mown the lower meadows where we have protected slow worms and adders. This has been done without care or concern for these species, most likely some may have been killed due to the mowing. The developer, Crest Nicholson, has acted without due care and diligence on a highly sensitive site.”

Ecologist Diana Tennyson said: “If any grass cutting needs to be carried out on sites such as this, an ecologist has to be present to deal with protected species such as slow worms or any ground nesting birds. Usually the developer’s ecologist checks the site and erects a reptile barrier before this type of work begins, so that slow worms are not compromised.”

Speaking on behalf of Preserve Treloar Meadows, Mrs Boxall added: “Mowing this early in the year deprives many insects, birds and animals of a valuable food source. It also means orchids have not had a chance to produce seeds.”

Furthermore, Crest Nicholson is still awaiting East Hampshire planners’ decision on the need for an environmental impact assessment and has yet to gain final reserved matters approval.

Alton Society chairman Nicky Branch said: “We regard this as extraordinarily insensitive action, bordering on arrogance, especially when there is so much local concern, a decision on environmental impact assessment is awaited, and the Alton Society has put in constructive proposals to mitigate the impact of development on this part of the South Alton Plan.”