Rewilding Versus Rehousing?

The Knepp estate in West Sussex (England) is a former arable and dairy farm. It was transformed into the largest rewilding project in lowland England. Healthy populations of some of the rarest birds (e.g. Nightingales, Peregrine falcons, Turtle doves and White storks) and insects (e.g. the Purple emperor butterfly) in the UK, can now be found on the Knepp estate. The people running the rewilding project are, however, becoming concerned by the council's plan to build 3,500 new homes. This is likely to be on a green field site adjacent to the Knepp estate (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/21/pioneering-rewilding-project-faces-catastrophe-from-plan-for-new-houses). The Knepp site supporters fear the development would block a wildlife corriodor to the St Leonards and Ashdown forests. This would prevent animals moving inorder to forage, expand their populations and repond to climate change. Connectivity is all-important for many species (especially those that don't fly). Birds and butterflies, unfortunately, don't have votes!