Tag Archives: Peter Alfrey

This could be the last chance to save crucial wildlife reserve

Ahead of an expected announcement by Valencia about the overdue Beddington Farmlands restoration, Inside Sutton has uncovered attempts by the company to wriggle out of costly environmental and social obligations Almost 20 years ago, when multinational waste giant Viridor first … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Croydon parks, Environment, London-wide issues, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s time to re-set our approach to Beddington’s nature reserve

CROYDON COMMENTARY: The threat of enforcement action against incinerator operators Viridor, and the waste management company, Valencia that now runs the former landfill site at Beddington, is too little and much too late, says conservationist PETER ALFREY Together with other … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Beddington’s ‘blue space’ could boost NHS mental health care

A conservation activist who spent more than a decade fighting for improved recognition and investment in the Beddington Farmlands nature reserve has greeted a report from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust that “prescribes” nature for improved mental health as “a … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon parks, Environment, Friends of Wandle Park, Health, Sutton Council, Wandle Park, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Plea to council for action as birds slaughtered at nature reserve

Viridor, the operators of the polluting waste incinerator at Beddington Lane, have been accused of allowing an environmental slaughter in the neighbouring wetland nature reserve which they are supposed to manage. Nesting pairs of endangered bird species have been disturbed … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Jayne McCoy, Peter Alfrey, Refuse collection, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Beddington Farmlands come alive as wildlife winter wonderland

The cold fingers of winter might be touching us as we head into November, but as local naturalist PETER ALFREY observes, the wildlife sanctuary at Beddington Farmlands is full of life Following lots of rain and the recent habitat improvements … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Peter Alfrey, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

SPECIAL OFFER: Take a walk on the wild side with Peter Alfrey

Inside Croydon is delighted to team up with noted local conservationist Peter Alfrey for our next guided walk, a midsummer wildlife ramble, on the morning of Sunday, June 23. We will spend a couple of hours exploring one of the … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Inside Croydon, Outside Croydon, Peter Alfrey, Walks, Wildlife | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Protestors meet Greta Thunberg and bring XR closer to home

At least two local residents were arrested in the past week as part of the Extinction Rebellion demonstrations across central London, which saw members of a group from Sutton meet Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teenager who has captured the attention … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Friends of the Earth, Environment, Peter Alfrey, Sutton Council, Tom Brake MP, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

RSPB investigation launched after two Wandle egrets killed

Wildlife wardens from the RSPB are investigating what one conservationist has described as “an unusual cluster” of two dead and one injured little egrets from the River Wandle and Beddington Farmlands in the past week. The birds do not appear … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon parks, Environment, Peter Alfrey, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Viridor allowed to give ‘absurd’ name to incinerator road

BELLE MONT, our Sutton reporter, on how the council has opted to name the service road to the Beddington Lane incinerator after a bird species that has been almost wiped out locally, in part, at least, as a consequence of … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Environment, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Merton, Nick Mattey, Refuse collection, Ruth Dombey, Sadiq Khan, Sutton Council, Tom Brake MP, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Lambert: ‘Disgrace’ of Sutton’s destruction of green spaces

Thanks to Brexit, MEPs are now an endangered species. Tomorrow morning one of them, Jean Lambert, London’s Green Party representative to the European Parliament, will be visiting the River Wandle in Beddington to highlight the plight of local wildlife and … Continue reading

Posted in 2018 council elections, Croydon Greens, Environment, Peter Alfrey, Shasha Khan, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Birdwatchers cock-a-hoopoe over rare sighting at Beddington

Bird watchers and naturalists lit up social media at the weekend after a sighting of a hoopoe at a reserve in south London. It was the first confirmed sighting for 50 years at Beddington Farmlands nature reserve of the bird, … Continue reading

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Sutton official in bid to oust conservationist from science group

BELLE MONT reports on an attempt by a council official to intimidate an environmentalist’s opposition to Viridor’s poor performance over the Beddington wetlands A senior council official responsible for Sutton’s environmental policy is demanding that a local conservationist should quit … Continue reading

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Enforcement officer is sent in over neglect of wildlife reserve

A south London council has been forced to appoint an enforcement officer to check on the environmental work which Viridor is supposed to be doing at Beddington Farmlands. The appointment comes more than two years after the Local Government Ombudsman … Continue reading

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How you can fight the Beast from the East in your garden

NATURE NOTES: You can turn your garden into a vital refuge from the cold snap for local wildlife, writes PETER ALFREY The Beast from the East is taking a fierce bite at our local wildlife, just when they are at … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon parks, Environment, Gardening, Nature Notes, Peter Alfrey, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

In south London, birds of a feather are flocking together

NATURE NOTES: The darker months at the end of the year have been brightened up by huge flocks of non-native birds, and a couple of surprise visitors to the area, as PETER ALFREY, the ‘Birdman of Beddington’, reports In November … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon parks, Environment, Gardening, Nature Notes, Peter Alfrey, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Viridor highlights homeless owls as they claim wildlife success

Incinerator operators Viridor have outraged local conservationists with their latest publicity, which has been described as “misinformation” over the status of the habitat and the various wildlife species that live around Beddington Farmlands. Viridor has a £1billion contract from the … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Peter Alfrey, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Viridor getting twitchy as thousands sign twitchers’ petition

Our Sutton reporter, BELLE MONT, on a multi-billion corporation which has started meddling in local politics, again Viridor, as they prime themselves to fire up next year their vast incinerator at Beddington Lane, appear to be getting more concerned over … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Environment, London-wide issues, Merton, Outside Croydon, Peter Alfrey, Refuse collection, Ruth Dombey, Sutton Council, Veolia, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Look up – don’t miss the migration motorway overhead

NATURE NOTES: As we head into November, with the nights closing in, PETER ALFREY, the ‘Birdman of Beddington’, suggests what to look for in your parks and open spaces, and how to provide wildlife with some help into the winter … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon parks, Environment, Gardening, Nature Notes, Peter Alfrey, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Incinerator operator sends threatening letter to bird watcher

An environmentalist who has worked for more than a decade on the Beddington Farmlands site, monitoring the wildlife in an area which was supposed to be transformed into a nature reserve, has been sent a threatening letter by incinerator operators … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Environment, Stuart Collins, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Rare public opportunity to go wild at Beddington Farmlands

Inspired by BBC’s Springwatch? There’s a chance to do some real-time, real-life bird-watching this Sunday, June 5, at the area’s own nature reserve. And the public guided walk at Beddington Farmlands this week could also be one of the last … Continue reading

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Beddington Birdman accuses charities of ‘selling out’ to Viridor

Peter Alfrey is to quit his role as wildlife warden at Beddington Farmlands nature reserve, accusing the local council, Greater London Authority and incineration company Viridor of a “greenwash” and of multiple broken promises, all of which is causing an … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Charity, Environment, Refuse collection, Stuart Collins, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Viridor restricts wildlife volunteer access to Beddington reserve

A well-respected naturalist has accused Viridor, the incinerator operators, of further breaches of their promises and obligations at the Beddington Farmlands nature reserve in Sutton. Peter Alfrey recently highlighted how Viridor’s neglect of its contractual duties over the use and … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Sparrows face extinction on wildlife site operated by Viridor

The entire population of sparrows, the bird most closely associated with chirpy cockney Londoners, is on the brink of extinction in a wildlife reserve on the borders of Sutton and Croydon where animal habitats and food sources were supposed to … Continue reading

Posted in Education, Environment, London-wide issues, Mayor of London, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Wildlife reserve at Beddington Farmlands under threat

Locally based naturalist PETER ALFREY lays out the case for protecting the Beddington Farmlands nature reserve from being industralised with the building of a polluting waste incinerator Beddington Farmlands is my local patch. A 400-acre expanse of south London currently … Continue reading

Posted in Education, Environment, Gardening, London-wide issues, Planning, Sutton Council, Waste incinerator, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment