Thistledown Environmental Centre

Name

Area of interest

Support

Council to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
J V Eyre

Farm diversification

"It seems to us that this whole project is an imaginative and thoroughly worthwhile enterprise for the area and we strongly support it."

Stroud District Council
Regeneration and Culture
Jane Wightman – Economic Development Manager

Farm diversification

"I hope the application will move forward in a positive manner to show a good example of farm diversification which is adding to the specialist environmental attractions that the district has to offer to visitors and the local community."

Stroud District Council
Hugh Morrison – Registrar, Museum in the Park

Local regeneration

"A centre of this kind has the potential to provide public access to a place where the history of the local landscape can be explored and studied in a geographical setting."

Stroud District Council
Diane Bragg – Tourism Officer

Local regeneration

"My most recent Tourism Strategy highlighted the need for the establishment of new tourist attractions in the District, for the benefit of locals, and to attract visitors from further afield. I fully support the above application, and believe that it will be a positive addition to the attractions of the Stroud District."

Rose Lennard
Architect for Stroud District Council

Landscape evaluation

"This high quality and imaginative environmental field studies centre would allow school parties, tourists and local residents to experience and learn about this very special corner of the District. The development would be in harmony with its setting and would ensure the continued sympathetic management of the land".

Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG)

Enhancing Wildlife and opening up new areas of the countryside

"I can see no reason that it would disrupt the protected Horseshoe bats.
The vegetation type differs with the varying soil types, of which there are several throughout the farm due to the typography.
Undergrazing will provide habitat for small mammals, who will in turn attract hunting Barn owls and kestrels."

English Nature
Jonathan Larwood

Conservation of wildlife and geology throughout England

"It [Thistledown] is of international importance for the correlation and the relative dating of this sequence of Bathonian limestones."

Nympsfield Parish Council
[Michael Baily – Acting Parish Clerk]

Local regeneration

"Nympsfield Parish Council is wholly in favour of this proposed development going ahead as we feel it would be extremely good for the area."

Woodchester Mansion Trust

Local Site of Special Interest open to the public

"The concept is of interest to the Mansion project because it complements many of the conservation based objectives."

National Trust and Woodchester Mansion Trust

National Trust - acquisition and protection of threatened coastline, countryside and buildings

"Working together on a Joint Conservation Management Plan to develop educational development. [Thistledown] would make a positive contribution."

Central Science Laboratory
Tim Hounsome

Sustainable crop production, environmental management and conservation

"With almost a quarter of the species on the Red List, being present on the site, it is obvious that Thistledown Farm is an important site for its conservation value. One cannot fail to be impressed by the diversity and abundance of species, and this is largely due to the mosaic of habitats that have been created here."

Nailsworth Town Council
Lesley Williams – Town Mayor

Local regeneration

"We are indeed very interested in the Thistledown project."

Luke Sanger
Managing Director
Eco Watch

Wildlife surveillance

"The project is so interesting. I will help you in whatever way I can."

Archaeological Investigations Limited

Archaeological Trial Trenching

"Considerable evidence for prehistoric and Roman activity is present in the area with a possible Roman cremation cemetery located at Tinkley Lodge and long barrows and round barrows within about 1.5km of the site."

Gloucestershire Environment Country Council

Archaeology

"The evidence for Romano British activity is widely scattered across the general area, with several finds of this date recorded from within the study area. There is evidence for a possible cemetery from period on the southern edge of the study area, where several cremations have been noted. There is also evidence for a Romano British site just to the north west of the proposed development area."

BBC
Dawn Leigh

"I was very impressed by the whole project....and would love to feature it in some way. I'm involved with a new programme which is on air in September - so I expect we'll speak before then."

Maidenhill School
Fiona Kendall and Hilary Heggie

Education

"The pupils were completely absorbed by all the activities. The whole day was both educational and inspiring and given the sometimes challenging nature of the pupils that took part, always engaging."

Sarah Mansley
[Pupil at Maidenhill]

Education

"It was one of our best ASDAN trips so far."

Caroline Pennington

Education

"We need to awaken the public’s understanding of conservation through a better knowledge of land management and the rhythm of Nature. It [Thistledown] has the potential to do so much in developing the public’s awareness about protecting the land."

Independent individuals
B Leedam

Dr Malcolm Mitchell

Mary Richards

Madge Tyrrell

"It will be a most interesting enterprise for both schooling, adults and the environment.

"The centre would provide a useful educational facility both for children and for the wider public.
The proximity of the proposed centre to the Woodchester Mansion building and grounds would enhance the attractiveness of the Nailsworth area as a whole a place to visit."

"I think it is just right for this area as there is so few places that are educational as well as entertaining for children as well as adults."

"I wish to support the application; I am sure that schools and colleges will enthusiastically welcome the centre."

Verbal support only

• Stroud and Gloucester Tourist Forum – the project has been presented to the Tourism Forum and received a broad level of support
• Vale Vision – Thistledown will form an integral part of their Health Check
• The wonderful natural environment of the area is one of its greatest assets. Development theme – incorporating sustainability into all new developments Issues – The destruction and deterioration of wildlife rich sites
• BBC Radio Gloucester – possibly doing a survey on this
• BBC – have had meetings with and they are interested. Will know more on receipt of business plan
• UWE – Knowledge West – possibly interested, particularly in digital media aspect, awaiting busines plan from us
• Gloucestershire County Council – broad level of support from Chris Dee
• Kew Gardens - A very interesting and fascinating project – Helen Sanderson
• Defra - Mr Chalmers has written to Stroud District Council to say that the proposed project is likely to receive grant aid
• RSPB – Mr Smith has confirmed that the Thistledown initiative aligns itself with the conservation of birds and wildlife through the protection and re-creation of habitats
• Local education authority - after the ASDAN visit [Maidenhill School] they have requested many repeat visits
• Slimbridge – have agreed on sharing advertising to connect local tourist attractions

Individuals aware of the project

• Chris Dee - Destination Management for Gloucestershire County Council
• Karen Toole - Head of Regeneration and culture for Stroud District Council
• Stephen Haye - Tourism officer for Stroud District Council
• Alison Needler - Knowledge West at University of West of England
• Jenny Pitcher - Gloucestershire First
• Peter Shaw - Visual Arts Forum