Tiny but scarce butterfly threatens to hold up controversial Cleethorpes salmon-farming project

Wall butterfly - small breeding colony on site of salmon farm project 

A TINY British butterfly could delay a controversial project to build an indoor salmon farm in Cleethorpes.

The tiny orange insect, known as the 'wall'. only has a wingspan of 50mm (two inches), but it is casting a shadow over the proposed £75-million development on scrubland between Blundell Park and the sea wall.

When members of North East Lincolnshire Council’s planning committee approved the development at a meeting in November last year, there was no reference to the tiny butterfly either in the main agenda or during the debate.

But NELC’s planning authority has a duty to safeguard ecology and biodiversity, so a condition has been imposed on the consent.

This states: "Prior to development commencing, an up-to-date survey for the Wall butterfly at the appropriate time of year for both larvae and adult life stages with a subsequent habitat improvement and mitigation strategy (including timings for works to be completed) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority."

The firm behind the salmon farm scheme, Aquacultured Seafood Ltd, had hoped to start work on development in the first half of this year, but, given the importance of safeguarding the habitat of such a scarce butterfly, this may not now be possible.

* There is a note about the wall butterfly in the latest edition of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's quarterly magazine, Lapwings. 

Gull's eye view of the proposed development (Artist's impression: Aquacultured Seafood Ltd)

Rich in wildflowers and butterflies - the site earmarked for the controversial development