Susie Nicodemi Uncategorized

TDNG Response to Lanham Lane Appeal

Planning Application Reference: 24/02737/OUT
Appeal Reference: APP/L1765/W/25/3367467

In July 2025, the Teg Down Nature Group submitted a formal response to the Planning Inspector in relation to the appeal concerning land west of Lanham Lane. While we had already submitted an objection earlier this year, this updated submission focuses on new evidence – particularly the implications of Hampshire’s draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS).

Our Concerns

We maintain our strong objection to the proposed development, which threatens an area of grassland and valuable habitat identified in the LNRS as important for restoring Hampshire’s biodiversity.

Our response is supported by the findings of a trained ecological consultant and draws on local plant surveys carried out by TDNG volunteers. These found over 50 species of grasses and wildflowers in the site’s south-west corner, demonstrating the area’s natural regeneration into species-rich calcareous grassland – a priority habitat in the LNRS.

Key Points from Our Submission

  • No adequate ecological survey has been provided by the Applicant. Their assessment lacks sufficient data on species present and ignores the likely effects of development on wildlife and habitats.
  • The south-west corner of the site is already rewilding. Plans to convert it into a play area and open space would damage this natural regeneration.
  • The site is close to Crab Wood SSSI and LNR, increasing the risk of ecological disruption.
  • The LNRS highlights the importance of preserving farmland and hedgerows. These are vital habitats that will face additional pressure from human activity if development proceeds.

We support the conclusion of Winchester City Council’s assessment that this proposal would result in the loss of priority habitat and would be harmful to protected species.

In Summary

The Teg Down Nature Group urges the Planning Inspector to reject this appeal. The proposed development conflicts with Hampshire’s own nature recovery goals and risks destroying a rare example of successful natural regeneration.

For more information or to get involved in our work, please contact us or join our mailing list.

Simon Eden
Chair, Teg Down Nature Group
simoneden@btinternet.com
16 July 2025

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What happened at our second AGM (2025)

Annual General Meeting – June 2025 Highlights

Teg Down Nature Group held its second Annual General Meeting on Thursday 5 June at Wesley Church Hall. Members and neighbours came together to reflect on a successful first year, elect the new committee, and share plans for the year ahead.

Committee for 2025–26

We warmly thanked the outgoing team and are pleased to announce the new officers:

  • Chair: Simon Eden
  • Treasurer: Lex Pattison
  • Secretary & Communications Co-ordinator: Anne Weir
  • Programme Co-ordinator: Susie Nicodemi
  • Additional support: Helen Gillingham, Kevin Hutchins and Susan Witt (web, newsletter, and events)

Year One Highlights

Our first year saw a wide range of activities, from fungi forays and bat walks to a popular Gardening for Wildlife talk. The verges project on Teg Down is now underway, supported by a grant from Winchester Rotary. Our newsletters reach over 100 households and we are building links with other local groups through Team Wilder.

Planning Ahead

The group has developed a business plan to guide future activities and support funding bids. Communications remain key, and a new website is due to launch in the next few months. We’re also looking for someone local to help manage our social media.

Ideas for the coming year include more walks, surveys, and nature gardening. A discussion about Weeke Pond highlighted the potential for collaborative stewardship. We’ll also stay informed on local planning and how changes to city governance may affect our area.

Thank you to all who took part and continue to support the group. If you’d like to get involved or join our mailing list, we’d love to hear from you (info@tegdownnature.org)

Susie Nicodemi Information, Old post

Spring seasonal reminder

Consider planting more herbs. Lavender, Thyme, Marjoram and Rosemary are all popular with our pollinators and easy to grow. Try rosybee.com or jekkas.com for bee safe organic seeds and plants.

Leave an untidy garden as long as you can into spring to provide cover and food for invertebrates and birds.

In freezing weather, boil your kettle and melt the ice on bird baths.

This time of year is perfect for putting up new nest boxes around your house and garden. The RSPB has a good selection and advice on where to site them.

When you are out and about during these short days, stop to listen for birdsong. Robins are singing already to establish their territory, thrushes are starting their repetitive song and little family flocks of Long Tailed Tits pipe to each other as they search for food in the tree tops. The RSPB website has excellent audio tracks of many of our british birds to help you become familiar with their songs

Susie Nicodemi Event, Information, Old post

Fungi Ramble

In November 2024, Eric Janke led a Teg Down Nature Group in discovering the richness of fungi in our area. Eric is the Chairperson of the Hampshire Fungus Recording Group and is an entertaining and hugely knowledgable fungal enthusiast. We spotted over sixteen species, some spectacular and some less so. Eric told us about the lifecycles and typical growing preferences of each.


Thanks to the Teg Down residents that kindly allowed access to their gardens. We hope to run a repeat of this event later in 2025.

Susie Nicodemi Event, Old post

Making a home for Swifts

Soaring high above us, swifts are a real signature of summer in the UK. But their numbers have plummeted. In Hampshire the swift population has declined by more than 66% since 1994. They are on the UK’s red list of threatened species.

More about these unique birds

Last month members of TDNG heard a presentation from Catharine Gale of Hampshire Swifts, a voluntary group aiming to help reverse the decline in numbers. Catharine told us about the unique life of the Swift, spending all it’s time on the wing, only landing to lay eggs and raise young. Swifts are migratory, leaving the UK in late July or August to travel to wintering sites in central Africa, easily covering 500 miles or more in a day. The fastest recorded swift travelled at 69mph, and one tagged bird covered 5,000km in 5 days!

On their return to the UK in April or May they visit the nest sites they used in previous years. Mostly these are small cracks or holes in buildings which allow access to space under eaves, soffits and tiles. They do no damage as they rear their brood which is usually just a couple of chicks. The young fledge after 5-8 weeks, flying straight from the nest, and then not touching down again until breeding at around 4 years old.

There are several small swift colonies across Winchester, but numbers are under pressure because of a lack of breeding sites. This is often because buildings have been repaired or renovated, closing the crucial gaps that give access to nesting sites. To help Swifts find places to rear their young, Hampshire Swifts are fitting specially designed nest boxes to houses, as well as encouraging builders to install “swift bricks” which are hollowed to give nesting space in new homes.

What can you do to support?

Winchester City Council are fitting swift boxes and bricks to council houses as they are refurbished. We in Teg Down can do the same, indeed some have already installed swift boxes and the birds have taken up residence. Boxes cost £40 from Hampshire Swifts, who will also install them for you. Ideally, two or three boxes should be positioned side by side as the birds like neighbours. To
find out more and order a box go to www.hampshireswifts.co.uk or contact us at
deanlanetegdown@gmail.com.

Susie Nicodemi Update

Autumn Seasonal Reminder

Helping Nature – Seasonal Reminders (Autumn)
Leave seed-heads standing to provide a valuable source of food for birds late in the years.
Create undisturbed leaf, log and compost piles in corners where insects will thrive, birds will find food and small mammals will sleep.
Allow hedgehogs to complete their nightly foraging marathon by creating highways between gardens.
Plant flowering plants to support next year’s flying insect populations.

Susie Nicodemi Event, Old post

Bat Ramble

Jessie Smallman is an ecologist and licensed bat handler who undertakes a wide variety of work including surveys and rescue missions. In late August Jessie led a small TDNG group on a bat
spotting ramble in our area. Here is a summary of how things went, written by Jean and Adrian Jones.

The rain stopped just in time and the bats were out when we set off. As the light began to fade we walked from the corner of Teg Down Meads, up Lanham Lane and around the nearest field where we enjoyed beautiful sunset views. This area forms a valuable wildlife corridor between Crab Wood and the gardens of Teg Down.

Jessie handed out small hand-held bat detector devices. We were thrilled to hear the first click-click-click sounds almost immediately and to catch a glimpse of bats darting past. They can
sometimes be seen around the lamp posts on street corners where insects gather but generally do not like the light. The frequencies we heard were mostly Pipistrelles keeping to the trees along the lane, but a few could have been larger species flying over the fields. There are some seventeen species of bat in the UK of which the Pipistrelle is the most common. It is very small and can squeeze into a two-centimetre gap.

During the walk Jessie talked about many topics including how to recognise if there are bats roosting by looking for droppings and discarded moth wings and how in our own gardens, we can support bats by installing bat boxes and providing ponds to attract invertebrates.

A big thank you from TDNG to Jessie Smallman for leading this enjoyable and informative walk

Susie Nicodemi Event, Old post

Community Meet Up

We held a Community Meet Up in Dean Lane Park from 10.00am to 12.00 noon on Saturday 29th June.
We made contact with many of our newsletter readers and Teg Down/Dean Lane residents to talk about our plans and how you can get more involved in activities as participants or leaders.
There were:

  • Activities for children
  • Seed and plant exchange
  • Opportunities to sign up for Nature group activities