28-Dec-2016

Colne Valley

Colne Valley, Hillingdon, West London needs your support in 2017

Colne Valley is a large area of wetland nature reserves that are Open for visitors and for business (that does not wreck the place).

How to get here

There is easy access from Uxbridge tube and walk along the towpath into Denham Country Park or take the Chiltern Line to Denham Station and walk through the nature reserves to the Grand Union Canal. A great place to cycle, you can bring your bike on the train.

What it costs

Denham Country Park is public amenity land owned for the people of London and surrounding area for air and exercise for ever, so it’s free and the canal is free.

What you will find

On the canal you will find visitor moorings and towpath mooring where you can moor for up to 14 days. There are long trails and walks around the lakes and through the wetlands. There is more biodiversity here than anywhere else in London. There is a café at Denham Deep Lock and a self drive day boat that can be booked. The Bear on the Barge pub with great food and large beer garden at Wide Water Lock. There are fishing lakes and you can fish the canal (fish must be put back). You can see a variety of woodland and water birds all year round and in June to September there are more dragonfly and damselfly here than anywhere else on the Blue Ribbon network.

You can hire Arthur Daily Trips passenger boat with skipper and crew for your group and have guided tours in luxury and comfort. 

How valuable is the area. 

The area is irreplaceable as the nature has evolved over centuries and now provides habitat that are teaming with life.  Eco services provided here for our benefit include: water cleansing, stabilzing banks and reducing erosion, intercepting pollutants in the water, reducing flood risks by absorbing storm waters and slowly releasing them through the connected waterbodies.  This is a riparian woodland area also known as the Green Lungs of London so come and have a day out.

What is threatened

People of the Colne Valley have been objecting to HS2 plans of destruction, in the House of Lords select Committee but we have been ignored. Now we wish to publicise this wonderful place.

Here are some quotes from HS2 plans

( SES and AP2 ES Volume 2 – CFA7, Colne Valley )

Designated sites 

5.3.37 The main ES reports that approximately 25ha (61.7 acres)  of the Mid-Colne Valley SMI (HS2 call the Grand Union Canal Mid-Colne Valley SMI)   is within the land required for construction. This comprises approximately 18ha of broadleaved woodland, approximately 5ha of grassland and scrub and 2ha of wetland. In total approximately 4ha will be permanently lost. The combined loss of habitat and the resultant disturbance on the breeding bird assemblage will result in a permanent adverse effect on the integrity of the Mid-Colne Valley SMI that will be significant at the county/metropolitan level. The realignment of the access road will result in the additional loss of approximately 0.5ha of woodland and grassland. The amendment will therefore result in a different significant effect on the Mid-Colne Valley SMI. However, this change will not change the level of significance of the effects reported in the main ES and the AP1 ES.

(you can’t put back nature)

5.3.40 The main ES states that approximately 10ha (52%) (25 acres) of the Denham Country Park LNR is within land required for construction of the original scheme. This extent of habitat loss will result in a permanent adverse effect on site integrity that is significant at the district/borough level, as stated in the main ES. An additional 500m2 of woodland from the LNR is within the land required for the amendment. The amendment will therefore result in a different significant effect on Denham Country Park LNR. However, this will not change the level of the significance of the effects reported in the main ES and the AP1 ES      (page 38)

Habitats

5.3.42 As reported in the main ES approximately 10ha (25 acres) of woodland, including wet alder woodland, will be lost from the Mid-Colne Valley SMI (area to be ‘lost’ of canalside land) during the realignment of the overhead power lines. The extent of loss will result in an adverse significant impact on the conservation status of woodland from within the SMI at the country/metropolitan level. The amendment will require the removal of approximately 0.2ha of wet woodland from the banks of the River Colne. It will also require the removal of 0.3ha and 0.2ha of broadleaved woodland from Denham Quarry Park LNR and St John’s Covert, respectively. The amendment will therefore give rise to a different effect on woodland, including wet woodland. However, this will not change the level of the significance of the effects reported in the main ES and the AP1 ES      (page 39)