If the bypass were ever built on the current proposed route, it would have a huge environmental impact to the Kerswell Down area situated to the west of Greenhill Road. Huge amounts of limestone would have to be excavated and a large amount of woodland destroyed.

Below is set out highly relevant extracts from a report complied for Devon County Council, when they considered the issue of Mineral Planning Permissions at the nearby Stoneycombe Quarry.

Reports Initiating Officer: Mr. A. Brown
Position: County Environment Director.
Telephone No: (01392) 382113
Document Reference No. 98/2499/49/9/DCC
Dated: 14/7/1999

Item 7. Nature Conservation Considerations

"There are no statutory or non-statutory sites of nature conservation importance [either wildlife or geological] within the existing planning consent area at Stoneycombe. However, this does not indicate any lack of wildlife or geological interest at this site. Areas of woodland and scrub exist within the planning consent area and it is possible that there might be small remnants of species-rich calcareous grassland. There is a record of a single cave in this location and the geological nature of the site suggests that there may be various other karst features of geological conservation interest."

"It should be noted that there are sites of significant wildlife interest directly adjoining the planning consent area and within the ownership of the company. Of particular interest is the County Wildlife Site at Kerswell Down and Whilborough Common which comprises woodland, species-rich grassland and important butterfly populations. There are also recent records of a nationally rare species of tree - English Whitebeam [Sorbus angelica] - adjacent to the planning consent area and at least one slightly older record for this species from within the planning consent area."

Comment Surely Devon County Council should take heed of information already provided by it's own environmental advisors? The fact that this information was originally tabled in respect of Stoneycombe Quarry is immaterial.

And if that wasn't enough to convince you; here is an extract from a Devon County Council Biodiversity Action Plan document, last updated 30/Apr/1999 © Devon County Council, 2000. The report looks into the subterranean environmental issues relevant to areas such as the limestone formations found at Kerswell Down and the surrounding area.

"Devon’s caves, karts and mines are an important and fascinating features which attract much interest from the biologist, geologist and archaeologist alike.
Karst is a distinctive environment which is characterised by landforms that are largely the product of rock material having been dissolved by natural waters to a greater extent than in other landscapes, occurring both as surface and underground features."

"Quarrying, mining and other major developments such as road building and housing developments are the few activities which have the potential to completely destroy a cave or mine. Although some caves have been discovered by quarrying, and quarries can provide access to some caves, there is a potential threat of destruction from these activities. Also, opening of entrances changes a cave’s climate which may potentially harmful to cave-dwelling invertebrates (but beneficial to bats if a new roost site is created) or lead to a deterioration of sediments or bone deposits."

"Current concerns include a lack of awareness and understanding of the value and location of many of Devon’s karst environments and associated features."

"Send comments, enquiries, etc. to nature@devon.gov.uk".

The report continues by listing the following species as being of conservation concern and associated with caves, karst and mines in Devon. Species listed as globally threatened or declining in the Report of the UK Biodiversity Steering Group are marked as
(s) - being on the Short List for which costed national action plans have been produced;
(m) - being on the Middle List, for which national action plans will shortly be produced;
and (l) - being on the Long List of species of less immediate priority:

Mammals Greater horseshoe bat (s), Bechstein’s bat (m), lesser horseshoe bat (l), Natterer’s bat (l)., Daubenton’s bat (l).

Crustaceans Cave shrimp Niphargus glenniei (m)

Beetles water beetle Hydrochus nitidicollis (m)

Bryophytes luminous moss Schistostega pennata

Lichens Acarospera sinopica, Lecanora soralifera, L. handelii, L. epanora, Rhizocarpon oederi, Vezdaea leprosa, Placopsis gelida, Stereocaulon pileatum, S. nanodes.

Vascular plants Tunbridge’s filmy fern Hymenophyllum tunbridgense (l)