Saving Pawlett Hams, a community campaign in the spirit of David and Goliath!
It seemed a mammoth task to get EDF to reconsider its plans for a giant saltmarsh at Pawlett Hams near Bridgwater. A saltmarsh that would have destroyed aquatic eco-systems and natural habitat, wildlife homes, as well as ancient farmland, businesses and valued community space for local people and school children.
EDF have listened, backed down and changed their plan. Today myself, Pawlett Hams Action Group and others received this e-mail:
“I have some important news for you regarding our proposal for a new Saltmarsh at Pawlett Hams.
“After completing a full review of the consultation, we have decided to pause all work on our proposal for the creation of new habitat in the local area. As an alternative to the proposed area at Pawlett, we will instead be beginning to consider other potential sites across the wider Severn Estuary. I will be able to provide you an update on these areas soon once we have begun wider local discussions with stakeholders close by, although none of the sites are within the Somerset Council boundary.”
This has been a joy of a community campaign, which I’ve been involved in since the beginning, to help the community become a strong voice working collectively and creatively. The campaign at its heart was about celebrating a beloved ancient landscape with the community coming together to “run the hams”, “snap the hams” (photo competition), to meetup to record the local nature on wildlife survey aps. This decision from EDF is a win win!
Thank you for your support in this Claire – call me sceptical but I’d like to see them change the word “pause” to “abandon” before I crack open the champagne. It could yet come back if the alternative sites they are looking at are not viable for whatever reason. It could just prolong the agony of living under the threat of CPO but hopefully they will decide what their preferred option is sooner rather than later and obtain consent for it, which will be the real deciding factor. Obviously other people, somewhere, will now soon be under the threat of CPO and loss of their land and livelihoods as we were, so I guess our celebrations are tinged with sadness for those who will next be in the firing line.