Firm fined for threat to rare newt in Suffolk

A great-crested newt

HAYLEY MACE

09 March 2010

A construction firm was fined yesterday after admitting damaging the habitat of endangered newts while building a hotel.

Work on a new Travelodge in Leisure Way, Lowestoft, came to a standstill in spring 2008 when

great crested newts, which are protected by law, were found living on the site.

Magistrates in Lowestoft were told yesterday that Barnes Construction, from Ipswich, started building the hotel in April 2008.

Kevin Lawson, prosecuting, said the landowners had already been granted a licence to trap the protected amphibians and move them on to neighbouring land owned by Suffolk Wildlife Trust.

Newt-proof fencing was then put up to stop them returning on to the area to breed, but the fencing was not maintained or repaired after Barnes moved on to the site.

Officers from Natural England, the body responsible for making sure that the newts were protected, visited on May 23 after receiving a complaint that the fence had been removed in some areas and damaged in others, which might have let the newts get back on to the site and potentially be injured or killed during building work.

Mr Lawson said: "Barnes Construction were told that all works should stop immediately and an experienced ecologist should be brought in."

However, the building work continued until June 3, he said.

Ian Seeley, for Barnes, said the company was not told that it was in charge of maintaining the newt-proof fence but it pleaded guilty to damaging or destroying a resting place of great crested newts as it now realised its responsibility.

He added that building had continued until June 3 because the site managers were not explicitly told to stop working.

Once work stopped, newts on site were trapped and moved, but building did not start again until the autumn, which cost the company about £30,000.

Barnes was ordered to pay £915 in fines and costs.

After the verdict, Natural England wildlife enforcement specialist Paul Cantwell said: "This case highlights the need for construction companies to comply with the law in relation to protected species.

"In this particular case, the defendant failed to ask any questions of the site owner in relation to protected species and failed to ascertain the purpose of the amphibian fencing.

"Had they done so, they may not have ended up with a criminal conviction."