Sir Charles Burrell and his wife Isabella Tree have seen large increases in wildlife on the Knepp Estate at West Grinstead since they first started a rewilding scheme 20 years ago.
But now developers are proposing to build 3,500 new homes at nearby Buck Barn. Isabella says she fears, if it goes ahead, the development would ‘leave a wildlife island in a sea of housing.’
However, developers Thakeham Homes have pledged to build a £5 million ‘wildlife bidge’ across the A24 which they say will allow wildlife to move freely within the area.
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The landscape houses a variety of insects as well as birds and animals. Photo: Charlie Burrell
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A young coot on Knepp's lake. Photo: Charlie Burrell
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Isabella Tree fears Knepp's landscape will become 'a wildlife island in a sea of housing'. Photo: Charlie Burrell
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Over the past 20 years Knepp has seen an extraoridnary increase in wildlife of all kinds of rare species. Photo: Charlie Burrell