Tyne Kittiwakes nesting sites are under threat and need your help
What is the problem?
The Vermont Hotel has taken over the building that was previously the Chase Bar and is adjacent to the north abutment of the Tyne Bridge (this is the large tower that supports the bridge on the Newcastle side of the river – see pic below – and which is used as a nesting site by Kittiwakes). The Vermont have converted the Chase Bar into hotel apartments.
They did this knowing that there was a large colony of Kittiwakes nesting next to the Chase Bar. Now they want to get rid of the Kittiwakes because they make a noise.
You can find out more about the Tyne Kittiwakes and why they are remarkable by clicking here. In parts of the UK the Kittiwake population is in dramatic decline and they have recently been “red-listed” and are now a top conservation priority.
Preventing Kittiwakes from nesting on a building does not solve the problem – they will move onto a building nearby creating a problem for someone else. Indeed the reason that so many nest on the Tyne Bridge is because they were moved from other buildings without any thought as to where they would go.
A Tyne Kittiwake Partnership was formed in 2012 to bring together wildlife groups, researchers and local authorities to work together to try and create a new artificial nesting site where the birds could thrive without threats from business interests. This is a difficult project that will take time, money and political will to achieve.
At the moment the Kittiwakes are out in the open ocean battling winter storms to survive, but in March they will return to the Tyne Bridge to raise their chicks, as they do every year.
What is being proposed?
The Vermont Hotel have submitted a planning application to Newcastle Council to prevent Kittiwakes from nesting on 3 sides of the bridge abutment. This year 116 pairs of Kittiwakes nested on these 3 sides. The Hotel will use netting, sloping ledges and electronic devices to prevent the Kittiwakes nesting in 2016.
You can see their application by clicking here
The Tyne Kittiwakes from Cain Scrimgeour on Vimeo.
How can you help?
The bridge abutment is owned by Newcastle Council (ie the people of Newcastle). If you object to the proposal to prevent the Kittiwakes from nesting then please let Newcastle Council know by 16 December 2015. You can do this by emailing Jessica.Annan@newcastle.gov.uk or you can register and make an objection online by clicking here (You must register first with your name, address and email. You will receive an email which contains a confirmation link which must be clicked. Once this is done you can login and leave your objection as well as viewing the objections of others.)
Please give the Kittiwakes a voice – they don’t get a say.
Natural History Society of Northumbria
07 December 2015
