Ilminster play area permanently closed due to protected badger activity
Report by Duncan Williams for Pulman's Weekly News
A once-popular children’s play area in Ilminster has been permanently closed following significant disruption caused by a growing badger sett.
The play area, located at Blackdown View, has been deemed unsafe after months of increased badger activity that has left the ground unstable and riddled with holes. Somerset Council made the difficult decision to close the site after considering various options - none of which proved feasible due to strict legal protections surrounding badgers.
In a statement, a spokesperson said: “Due to badgers being protected, Somerset Council are unable to do anything to prevent the badgers from digging further holes or to fill in the ones that have already been dug. Somerset Council looked at ways to move them, but this could not be done in a viable way.”
The badgers, which had long been present in a nearby hedgerow, recently expanded their territory into the play area, causing serious damage.
One particularly large hole was noted on the site, alongside numerous smaller holes created as the animals foraged for food.
The safety concerns extend beyond just visitors. The uneven ground now poses a hazard for maintenance workers, with the Council stating: “These holes mean Somerset Council are also unable to cut the grass in a way that eliminates the risk of injury to the operatives.”
The permanent closure of the play area is a blow to local families, many of whom used the site regularly. However, Somerset council stressed that the safety of children and maintenance teams had to take priority - and that legal constraints around wildlife protection left them with limited options.
Under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, it is illegal to interfere with badger setts without a special licence, making relocation or habitat disturbance extremely difficult and time-consuming.
With this in mind, Ilminster residents are encouraged to use alternative play facilities in or around the Blackdown View area.
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