Comments which have come in by email:
Over the weekend we have confirmed the presence of many bats foraging over the meadows using an electronic Bat detector. See Surrey Bat Society list on the Surveys page of this website. JI August 2011
I would very much like to participate in further activities raising people's awareness of the monstrosity of a 2nd cricket pitch bang slap wallop oin the centre of a beautiful piece of tranquil land. It should also be pointed out that it is not only used by dog walkers, but as a safe area away from the river bank where small children can run freely. I walk my dogs daily there and at weekends my daughter brings her twp small children over where they can toddle about without the continual worry of them slipping in the Thames and more importantly getting mown down by the 'lycra bikers'! - JN August 2011
I regularly walk down by the river parallel to the cricket ground. I have observed that the cricket pitch is totally under utilised. There may be some action late afternoon in the nets or the cricket match at weekends ( though not every weekend) but overall the ground lies idle. The only constant activity to the cricket ground is people using their cafe on a regular basis - no doubt a very good personal relations technique to try to win support for their case, given that their idea of extending the grounds has been going on for several years given the documentation and support from Surrey Cricket Club (2009). What is the point of having another area of land which, if used in the same way, would in the majority lay unused? Also during the winter months very little use would be made of this new ground - as in fact is the case with the present ground. I am totally opposed to the application to the new ground. Let this area be left to the wild life and CONSTANT USE by dog walkers, ordinary walkers, children, families, etc who enjoy this wonderful area of land on a totally regular basis - PT, August 2011
Out on the meadow yesterday morning to see which butterflies were willing to be photographed: Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small White, Small Skipper, Small Copper, Common Blue, Brown Argus and Speckled Wood. Good numbers of each on the wing; not to forget plenty of Six-Spot Burnet moths as well. Excellent bio-diversity because of the variety of wild plants and trees. Cricket pitch? No thanks! - MR, July 2011
I wish to state my support in opposition to the innapropriate proposals by the cricket club. I am an East Molesey resident, and wish to preserve the scarce countryside and wildlife in the Meadows - MB July 2011
I wish to record my objection to the application by East Molesey Cricket Club to turn the heart of Hurst Meadows into a cricket field, thereby doing away with and/or disturbing the habitat of wild life and wild meadow flowers. There are other suitable undeveloped areas of land for a cricket field close by, in particular the large undeveloped tract of land owned by the Pavilion Club and for which there is a long-standing agreement that this space be reserved for sporting purposes, notwithstanding the application by the Bloor property company to build scores of new houses on it - TW July 2011
Taking the heart out of these wildflower meadows would greatly reduce the area of this habitat and its biomass. What would be left would then be further fragmented and degraded by thoughtless over-use; nothing worthwhile of them would remain if a cricket pitch and outfield (about 25,000 sq yds I'm informed) are imposed there - JS 2011