The Tannery site gutted for development.

The destruction of the Sinfin Tannery site on Sinfin Lane Derby continues at pace. While the developer, Resource Recovery Solutions - a SHANKS waste company in association with Interserve through planning and the public inquiries painted the site as being a brownfield site the reality was somewhat different! While it was correct to suggest the site had housed industry previously - in this case a brick works and later an animal skin tannery all of which was demolished to suggest the site was brownfield would be to imply the site was an industrial wasteland. Those of us able to visit the site before the council removed that ability know very much that the site was actually a hub for wildlife next to an area of heavy industry - it was an oasis of grass, flowers, shrubs and trees and housed Derby's only population of Common Lizards - a BAP priority species. The image below shows what the site previously looked like.

Once the developer secured the go ahead for construction the site and its grassland was razed to the ground in late winter - a time when the Common Lizards would be hibernating but contractors carried out the work after a spell of poor weather turning the site into a mud bath.

Please take some time to watch a video from the site after contractors cleared the site

The developer was reported to Derbyshire police but the police took no action.
What may come as a surprise to some was the enthusiastic welcome Derby North MP Chris Williamson gave the funding of the waste incineration plant. A surprise because the MP is a vocal supporter of wildlife but happily welcomes the destruction of a site which was home to foxes and other mammals. He took to Twitter to announce his pleasure -

Chris Williamson ‏@ChriswMP Aug 21

Delighted Green Investment Bank's confirmed it'll finance Derby's waste treatment facility that'll reduce landfill & cut 50k tonnes of CO2

 

So what is the current status of the site ? Well construction of the access has started and the site has been basically gutted as shown in the final image - the only untouched areas being the Common Lizard holding area.

 

©SIMON BACON 2016