“Doomed To Fail”

A GREEN Party councillor for Leigh says the latest plan to move badgers from burrowing under the road is “doomed to fail again.”

Richard Longstaff, Green Party Councillor for Leigh Ward, was responding to new plans to install multiple “one-way gates” on Leigh cliffs to clear badgers – whose burrowing has been the cause of structural instability and road safety issues.

This follows delays from “human intervention”, which saw previous equipment – designed to stop badgers returning to their setts – tampered with.

Councillor Lydia Hyde, responsible for the environment, was previously reported in Leigh News as saying that the new gate plan would help the badgers relocate.

She said: “Once they go through the gates, we believe they will relocate to a different existing sett lower down the slope. If they move there, the situation will be fine.”

However, Coun Longstaff maintains that a better plan is needed, as there is insufficient territory to house multiple setts.

He said: “Badgers are territorial and likely to fight with another set. Badgers’ territory is quite large and I don’t think it’s realistic to hope they’ll integrate with another adjacent set on an already limited habitat.”

Coun Longstaff has since called for a detailed method statement from the ecological company tasked with relocating the badgers, so that the mammals can be relcoated “in accordance with UK law.”

He added: “This new area of appropriate land/habitat will need to be identified within

the City and the badgers relocated.”

A £2 million scheme to prevent Cliff Parade in Leigh from collapsing because of the badgers’ burrowing has necessitated a traffic light control system, which has now been in place since February 2023.

Coun Longstaff added: “This has been going on for a few years now and negatively affecting Leigh residents – we need a fully detailed plan in place.”

Picture: Gates to go in Leigh Cliff area. Pic Southend Council

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