Further frustration over Beddington Farmlands management

Continued delays to planned public access at Beddington Farmlands in south London has drawn criticism from local campaigners.

Beddington is one of the most famous birding locales in London and the Surrey vice-county, with a rich history of ornithological coverage. Returning the former sewage works and landfill site to a nature reserve was one of the conditions of the building of an incinerator, granted in 2013.

It was supposed to be completed by the end of 2023 but this did not happen – and new landowner, Valencia Waste Management (VWM), last year revised plans for the site which have been met with disappointment – and are still behind schedule one year on.

Beddington Farmlands supports a fantastic variety of wildlife and has a long track record of producing rare and unusual birds (Peter Alfrey).

Major delays

"This is one anniversary nobody is celebrating," said Sutton's Wandle Valley Forum conservation group.

The forum's chair, Tony Burton, said the "continuing failure" of VWM to carry out the necessary work as well as Sutton Council's "foot-dragging approach to enforcement" was "beyond frustrating".

"Public access to Beddington Farmlands and a secure future for its extraordinary wildlife was the quid pro quo for a massive incinerator being built," he added.

Hide installation

A spokesperson for Valencia Waste Management (VWM), which operates the landfill site where the incinerator is, said they were "making progress".

Some development has been made on the site, including installing bird hides that are now accessible on a path the public can use, yet the Wandle Valley Forum said the works remained incomplete and unsuitable for some of the threatened birds that use the site.

Sutton's Liberal Democrat council has previously said it would be taking legal enforcement action against VWM.