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Save Middlewick Ranges

Middlewick Ranges is home to:

The largest expanse of rare acid grassland in Essex – and 1,480 invertebrates over 10% of which are rare or threatened.

A premiere British Nightingale population, top two in the country, with at least 59 singing males.

…and plethora of other wildlife, a biodiversity hotspot and treasured community space where you can still enjoy the song of Skylark and Nightingale a stone’s throw from Colchester City centre.

Despite all this, Middlewick Ranges Local Wildlife site is threatened by the allocation of 1000 houses allocated under the Colchester City Council Local Plan. Informed by bad science, a bias in favour of development and ignoring an army of independent experts. They say Middlewick Ranges is ‘irreplaceable’ – and that the proposed impacts are ‘unmitigatable and catastrophic’.

Middlewick Must be Saved!

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Middlewick Ranges has been called a ‘wildlife haven’ by Channel 4 News, a ‘beauty spot’ by the Gazette, an ‘ecological marvel’ by the Guardian and a ‘jewel in Colchester’s ecological crown’ by the BBC.

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Notable/Protected Species and Habitats

Nightingales
59 singing males (at least), part of an even larger Colchester Barracks population
(A top 2 UK site!)
Barbastelle Bats
Breeding in neighbouring SSSI woodland and confirmed commuting and feeding on Middlewick Ranges
Acid Grassland
Middlewick Ranges is the largest intact area of acid grassland in Essex, 1/10th of the county’s habitat
Invertebrates
An astonishing 1,480 invertebrate species recorded! 167 have conservation designations
520000

Rare acid grassland (m2)

59

Nightingales (singing males)

46

Breeding bird species

1480

Invertebrate species

167

Invertebrates with conservation status

465

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)

Middlewick on TV

Back in 2020, Channel 4 News found out about our Fight and wanted to feature us on their program.

The speakers on the program are Annie Gordon (Essex Wildlife Trust), and Dr Chris Gibson local Ecologist and formerly of Natural England.

Trips Gallery

Completed Journeys

Tours of Middlewick

Colchester residents and campaigners led by Colchester Natural History Society, on a tour of the threatened areas of Middlewick Ranges

Click here for more information

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1000

Houses proposed on Middlewick

1300

Number of new cars (at least)

390

Number of new cats (bird predation)

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3168

Facebook group members

1100

Objections to Local Plan consultation

325

Attended protests and guided walks (spring 2024)