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Lizard orchids are a rare species in the UK and are listed as Near threatened on the Red Data list. See plan 6535/EC04-W Update
Ecological Appraisal Seahive Jan 2023 for Locations and numbers of Lizard Orchids at the Park. Invertebrates. Over 20 species of invertebrate with a conservation designation have been recorded at the Park in surveys carried out by Aspect Ecology.10 In addition the Norfolk Hawker dragon fly has been recorded and three rare moth species have been identified: • The Bright Wave moth Listed as Rare under the GB Red list (based on pre 1994 guidelines) and Endangered under the Kent Red Data Book (Kent RDB1)11. • The Fiery Clearwing moth. Only found in Kent. (protected under schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act) Very Rare and Endangered. (UK Moths)11 • The Sussex Emerald. Photographed at Betteshanger Country Park and recorded on irecord. (Protected under schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Confined as a breeding species to a small area of south east England. A red Data book species)12. Reptiles Betteshanger Country Park is an exceptional site for Common Lizards according to criteria in Froglife’s Reptile Advice Sheet no.10. In 2016 over 1,300 Common Lizards were moved from the Discovery Park in Sandwich to Betteshanger for their long term protection.(see planning application 14/00058.Condition 55) Protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and a priority species in the Kent Biodiversity Strategy 2020-2045) Grass snakes and Slowworms are also present. (Protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Grass snakes are also a priority species in the Kent Biodiversity Strategy.) This makes the site a Key Reptile Site and it should be included in the Key Reptile Site Register which is designed to promote and safeguard important Reptile sites. Amphibians. Common Toads and smooth newts have also been recorded by local naturalists. Protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Mammals. Water Voles. Evidence recorded by Aspect Ecology on the proposed hotel site. Water Vole are an endangered species having disappeared from 94% of their previous habitats13. Protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and a target species in the Kent Biodiversity Strategy 2020-2045. Beavers. Evidence shows Beavers are present in the Park. (Recorded by local naturalists and Aspect Ecology) They are a European Protected species. No survey has been carried out to determine how significant the Beaver population is. Badgers. Badgers have been recorded at the Park by Aspect Ecology. Badgers are protected by the Badger Act. Bats. At least 7 species of Bat have been recorded by Aspect Ecology at Betteshanger Country Park in good numbers. All are European protected species. Birds. Turtle Doves have been recorded by Aspect Ecology at 5 locations on the edge of the Park. Turtle Doves are the UK’s fastest declining bird species and are vulnerable to extinction their numbers having dropped by 98%.7 Other Red Listed species include: Skylark, Linnet, Yellow Hammer, Mistle Thrush, Cuckoo, Starling Fungi. Over 130 species of fungi have been recorded at Betteshanger Country Park by local enthusiasts.These include rare species such as Pterula Multifida (Coral Pterulaceae) and Barometer Earthstar (Astraeus hygrometricus) Bloody Milkcap (Lactarius sangilfluus) Toads Ear (Otidea bufonia) and Weeping Bolete (Suillus granulatus)
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of Bat.4 5. Beavers and
Badgers.5 6. Water Voles – an endangered species6. 7. Turtle Doves the UK’s fastest declining bird located in 5 different sites on the edge of the Park7. 8. Red listed birds including Skylark, Linnet, Cuckoo, Yellow Hammer, Starling, Mistle Thrush, Turtle Dove8. 9. Over 130 fungi species.This includes several rare species.9
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including the Kent Mining Museum and
Visitor Centre. The museum which was constructed in partnership with the Kent Mining Heritage Foundation (KMHF), cost £1.7 million to construct and is dedicated to Kent's mining heritage. It opened in April 2022. It is part of the newly built visitor centre which cost £6m to construct.
203:- "meadow"). In May 2015, it was announced that the Hadlow Group had acquired Fowlmead and would be rebranding the park as Betteshanger Country Park, as part of the wider Betteshanger Sustainable Parks regeneration program. As of 2017 the organisation's website gives the name of the park as Betteshanger Park.
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Summary of the
Biodiversity Interest. 1. The second most important colony of Lizard Orchids in the Country.1 2. Significant numbers of rare invertebrates including the endangered Fiery Clearwing moth.2 3. Exceptional population of Common Lizards plus Grass Snakes and Slowworms.3 4. At least 7 species
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The statue was moved in July 2010. The campaign group then were granted £5000 in funds from the
Coalfields Regeneration Trust for seating, information boards and the plinth around the statue. The park then held the Kent Miners Festival, which took place over the Sunday and Monday of the bank holiday
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Additional
Information. Priority Habitats at the Park include Reedbeds and Open Mosaic Habitat on Previously developed land. This is a scarce habitat in the Dover District and supports Lizard Orchids and a wide range of other plants and invertebrates.. Other important habitats include ponds, scrub,
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Further details on
Species. Plants. Over 330 native plant species have been recorded at Betteshanger Country Park including 20 on the Kent Rare Plant Register. This includes the second most important colony of Lizard Orchids in the UK. Protected under schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act
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and lockdowns, the Hadlow Group went into educational administration in 2019, but the Park was then acquired by Quinn
Estates, the housing and social building developers also have planning consent for 12 self-build plots beside the park. Quinn Estates helped finish the delayed construction works,
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Village Square (another former mining community) or on the A258 highway at the entrance to
Betteshanger Park. The Country Park on the coal field spoil heap was chosen as the new site. The next stage was to obtain planning permission and persuade everyone to agree to the new site.
333:, the UK's national governing body for cycling have described the circuit as among the best outdoor tarmac road cycle circuits in the UK. There is also a long mountain biking track around the park. Various cycling and running competitions are held at the Country Park including a
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The park has a smooth 3.5 km tarmac road race/time trial cycle circuit which can be divided into a 1.5 km circuit, a two kilometre circuit or the full 3.5 km circuit. The circuit is six metres wide and eight metres wide on its finishing straight.
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At July, 29th 2023 the first british
Ultraskate will take place at the Betteshanger Park. An Ultraskate is an event where riders try to achieve as many miles within 24h. This event is limited to longboard and skateboard riders.
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record attempt twenty-four-hour Mobility Scooter Endurance Challenge by the Red Wheelies (Mobility Scooter Formation Team). They completed 77 laps (154 miles), smashing the previous record of 88 miles.
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weekend, 29–30 August 2010. The event was so popular that it has become an annual event with the venue changing from year to year. In 2015 the festival returned to Betteshanger.
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184:, one of the largest collieries in Kent. The colliery opened in 1924–30 and closed in 1989. The spoil tip was located to the north east of the former colliery.
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launched the Coalfields Heritage Initiative Kent (CHIK) project, in order to record and preserve the mining heritage of Kent. It included the creation of the
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from the colliery) was mixed with recycled green waste and fertiliser to create a rich topsoil and 130,000 shrubs and trees were planted.
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389:), had their own recommendations for a new site for the statue, but these were ignored and eventually it was resited outside the
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In 2022, the park became the only location in the UK, to hire an off-road electric vehicle called the 'e-Spider' with unique
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273:), which can be seen within the park's developing natural habitat (beyond the cyclists' middle section), including a lake.
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The existing visitor centre was part-funded by SEEDA and Sport England. The surface material of the entire park (
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397:. The Coal Board Offices eventually closed down in 1987, leaving the statue isolated on the seafront in Dover.
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power station) when the coal-fired plant was decommissioned. Each of Kent’s mining communities (Betteshanger,
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541:"SEEDA - News - 'Fowlmead Country Park' near Deal in Kent is due to formally open at the end of May 2007"
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The original area (before the spoil tip) was known as Foulmead Marsh and the community (with help from
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349:. It is an all-terrain one-sitter leisure electric vehicle that does an hour long tour of the park.
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This 365-acre (1,480,000 m) park is situated on the site of a former spoil tip of the former
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In September 2006, the "Move The Miner" campaign was launched. The campaign committee considered
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226:, as part of the National Coalfields Programme (NCP). It was opened in May 2007 by Sir
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325:. Families can also enjoy the play area (close to the visitor centre and car park).
784:"London National Youth Series Plus Seniors Race At Fowlmead Country Park In Kent"
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921:"Welcome to the White Cliffs Countryside Project Page - Miners Way Cycle Trail"
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567:"Coalfields projects - Homes and Communities Agency (HCA)"
619:"Miscelleaneus Habitats - Nature reserves: Fowlmead UK"
974:"The Miner's Statue has been moved to Kent coalfield"
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There is already an abundance of wildlife (including
859:"Kent park now home to 'thrilling' off-road buggies"
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was initially developed under the management of the
369:The "Waiting Miner" statue was commissioned by the
165:, England. It covers the site of a former colliery
454:"Betteshanger Sustainable Parks with Relic Cliff"
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834:. Thisiskent.co.uk. 20 May 2011. Archived from
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373:and was moved from its original site (outside
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301:The park provides many activities including
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895:"Coalfield Heritage Initiative Kent - CHIK"
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569:. Homesandcommunities.co.uk. Archived from
517:. Betteshanger Country Park. Archived from
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692:"£1.7m mining museum to open after delays"
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222:(SEEDA) with £18.8 million funding from
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718:"Fowlmead C.P - is that "Cycling Park"?"
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345:by the French designed and manufactured
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191:) chose the name of the new park to be
127:Betteshanger Country Park shown within
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365:Waiting Miner in Dover before the move
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511:"Betteshanger Country Park is Coming"
428:Situated from along the A258 between
220:South East England Development Agency
857:Griffiths, Rhys (5 September 2022).
670:Quinn Estates, Canterbury & Kent
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371:Central Electricity Generating Board
952:"Miner's statue to move from Dover"
808:. Mobility Roadshow. Archived from
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716:Morris, Tony (22 September 2008).
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35:Fowlmead Lake in Betteshanger Park
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690:Perkins, Eleanor (1 March 2022).
832:"Scooting stars set record pace"
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639:Lennon, Sam (2 December 2019).
786:. Cycling Weekly. 27 July 2007
743:. sandywildlife.blogspot.co.uk
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1071:Parks and open spaces in Kent
883:https://www.ultraskate.co.uk/
641:"Developer buys country park"
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739:Lloyd, Mel (4 August 2011).
48:250 acres (1,000,000 m)
7:
1008:. kentminersfestival.org.uk
479:"Betteshanger Country Park"
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244:Due to the effects of the
214:Fowlmead Country Park and
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1031:Betteshanger Park Website
954:. BBC News. 20 April 2010
763:"Mountain Bike Community"
515:Betteshanger Country Park
297:Cycle Paths and Footpaths
155:Betteshanger Country Park
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976:. BBC News. 30 July 2010
335:Guinness Book of Records
210:Entrance to Betteshanger
317:(running and cycling),
269:and various species of
402:Dover District Council
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357:Waiting Miner Campaign
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230:, in association with
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189:Dover District Council
1066:Country parks in Kent
1046:Fowlmead Country Park
741:"Frolics at Fowlmead"
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285:hedgerows and trees.
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151:Fowlmead Country Park
16:Park in Kent, England
1036:Mover the Miner site
1006:"Previous Festivals"
901:on 28 September 2011
666:"Betteshanger Grove"
491:on 28 September 2011
458:GeoConservation Kent
224:English Partnerships
123:class=notpageimage|
806:"Mobility Roadshow"
391:National Coal Board
343:pendulum suspension
599:on 16 October 2010
593:"Fowlmead Success"
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91:.betteshanger-park
79:Open 7 days a week
406:Miner's Way Trail
157:) is a park near
147:Betteshanger Park
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1041:Fossils site
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868:9 September
863:Kent Online
696:Kent Online
645:Kent Online
387:Tilmanstone
375:Richborough
271:dragonflies
246:coronavirus
1060:Categories
551:6 November
463:20 October
440:References
323:geocaching
289:Activities
267:kingfisher
199:– "bird",
149:(formerly
138:TR35285399
400:In 2001,
313:hunting,
167:spoil tip
434:Sandwich
424:Location
413:Aylesham
383:Snowdown
315:duathlon
253:Wildlife
193:Fowlmead
182:Colliery
905:30 June
701:16 June
675:16 June
650:16 June
603:22 June
525:15 July
495:30 June
379:Chislet
347:Swincar
307:cycling
303:walking
173:History
84:Website
58: (
53:Created
980:14 May
958:14 May
926:14 May
842:14 May
816:14 May
790:14 May
768:14 May
747:15 May
724:15 May
624:14 May
577:14 May
311:fossil
76:Status
489:(PDF)
482:(PDF)
395:Dover
239:shale
161:, in
1014:2015
982:2014
960:2014
928:2014
907:2011
870:2022
844:2014
818:2014
792:2014
770:2014
749:2014
726:2014
703:2022
677:2022
652:2022
626:2014
605:2011
579:2014
553:2018
527:2015
497:2011
465:2022
432:and
430:Deal
385:and
321:and
201:Mead
197:Fowl
163:Kent
159:Deal
153:and
129:Kent
60:2007
56:2007
45:Area
436:.
95:.uk
93:.co
89:www
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
