Friends of Betteshanger’s Community Group - Changing Lives Through Pro Bono

By Elf

 

Welcome to the inaugural post of our Pro Bono Week blog series, “Changing Lives through Pro-Bono”. Each story in this series showcases the remarkable impact of pro bono work across various sectors and communities, illustrating how the selfless dedication of legal professionals can catalyze significant change and protect the rights of the voiceless.

Our first feature takes us to the verdant expanses of Betteshanger Country Park in East Kent, where the passionate members of the Friends of Betteshanger stand as sentinels over the area’s natural treasures. This coalition of committed local residents exemplifies the powerful union of community activism and pro bono legal prowess. Facing the specter of development that threatened the park’s delicate ecosystem and the wildlife it harbors—home to a rich tapestry of species including the rare Lizard Orchid, Turtle Doves, and Water Voles—they sought aid in a time where biodiversity hangs in a precarious balance.

GUEST CONTRIBUTION

By Susan Sullivan, Friends of Betteshanger Community Group Member

The Friends of Betteshanger is a group of local residents in East Kent whose mission is to protect the wildlife and green spaces of Betteshanger Country Park in the face of plans for a luxury Hotel and Surf Lagoon. The site supports the second largest colony of the nationally rare Lizard Orchid in the UK, Turtle Doves, Water Voles and a whole suite of other rare and protected wildlife.

At a time of biodiversity crisis we needed help with our campaign.

We discovered that when the Park was first set up a S106 agreement attached to the original planning application obliged Dover District Council to designate the Park as a Local Nature Reserve. They failed to do this with the result that one of Dover District’s most important wildlife sites, supporting species of national importance, is now threatened with major development.

We are so grateful to ELF and their lawyers who provided so much time, free advice and help, enabling us to understand the implications of the S106 and helping us to achieve the first victory in our campaign. On July 13^th2023 we celebrated the decision of the planning committee of Dover District Council to reject the plans for a luxury Hotel.

The applicant has now submitted an amended application for the Hotel and the Surf lagoon is still pending. Our campaign continues with renewed determination and we know that ELF is there to help us if we need further legal advice. Thank you ELF.

As we draw day one of Pro Bono Week to a close, we reflect on the tenacity and spirit of communities like the Friends of Betteshanger, united in the face of adversity by the support of pro bono legal advocates. Their ongoing battle is not just for the preservation of their cherished park but is a testament to the broader fight for environmental conservation and the wildlife that depend on it. We invite you to return tomorrow as we continue to explore the profound impacts of pro bono work through another inspiring story. We will unveil how dedicated legal professionals and a united community can forge a path towards justice and change, one case at a time.

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