Bexley residents fight to protect ‘hidden oasis’ from developers

By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter

Residents are fighting to protect a “hidden oasis,” home to seals and a number of wild birds, from being built on.

People in Bexley claim visiting Crayford Marshes is like stepping “back in time,” and are campaigning to preserve the unspoilt area after the site was bought by the Berkeley Group in 2019.

The marshes have been designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC), and a Berkeley Group spokesman said that any future plans for the land it owns would be “subject to planning and will need to be carried out in a way that respects and enhances the ecology of the area”.

However, groups like the Countryside Charity have claimed the green belt site is “under threat” and are working with residents to protect it from harm.

Donna Zimmer, 48, is a member of the Friends of Crayford Marshes.

She said: “When you walk down Moat Lane, suddenly the houses are behind you. It’s like going back in time.

“You’ve got this moat that’s really old, then you’ve got the old barn, which is a great site for kingfishers to perch. You can see them all from the main park.”

Ms Zimmer said the wetland used to be a landfill and is surprised by how many people aren’t aware of the special birds you “wouldn’t always get in your garden”.

She said: “The middle of the marshes has got as good wildlife as if you went to a nature reserve in Kent somewhere.

“People can’t believe we’ve got common and grey seals in Bexley. That’s bizarre. They’re expecting to get on a coach somewhere.”

Ms Zimmer said other animals in the area included harvest mice and corn bunting birds, and that a number of species on the site are endangered.

She said she feelt the community needed to speak up for the area, to educate others.

She added: “The site was previously landfill, so people think it’s a tip and rubbish.

“Over the years it’s grown into wonderful grassland. You can hear skylarks singing. You’re listening to skylarks while you look at herons and kingfishers.”

Alice Roberts, of CPRE London, said: “We were astonished to find the site under threat is not only Green Belt but a flood plain adjacent to the River Thames and an incredibly important site for wildlife.

“Like many other sites in London, it lacks a clear identity and is not well known as a public open space, despite being a wonderful destination.

“These ‘hidden’ sites come under threat because developers feel people don’t know or care about them. We need to change that.”

A Berkeley Group spokesman said: “Berkeley committed to delivering a net biodiversity gain on all of its sites in 2017, the first major homebuilder to do so.

“Berkeley has completed 46 biodiversity net gain strategies to date, and these are set to create more than 500 acres of new or improved natural habitats.”

Bexley council was approached for comment but had not responded at the time of publication.

Pictured top: A horse shown grazing on Crayford Marshes (Picture: Donna Zimmer)