I’ve been avoiding human and potential coronaviral contact for four weeks now. I’m quite good at it. Jobs are getting done slowly [there will be plenty of time] and as my fruit and veg are being delivered there is no need to go to the shops. The weather has been warm enough to sit and relax in the garden.
But it was time to venture out on some short walks. There is a selection of paths to the north of where I live and by taking my ‘permitted exercise’ around six pm I meet virtually no one. More of those later.
It was on my way home this evening that I passed the site earmarked for six more houses on Inglewhite Road. I thought at one-time ribbon development into the countryside [there is no longer a green belt] was to be avoided but now anything goes under this government’s wretched housing policy, or rather lack of policy in our village.
This was the original view walking out of Longridge…
The field in question is behind the hedge and trees on the right.
What had been a field with hedgerows and trees the last time I was out [photo above] was now stripped bare. They had already stripped back the topsoil a couple of days ago. Now every vestige of hedging gone. Why do they have to do this? One would have thought that some mature hedging on the borders of the new properties would have been an asset. And as for cutting down mature trees!
The next three pictures are taken looking towards Longridge…
Start of the clearing – trees and hedges hanging on.
No trees or hedges.
Barren environment.
I haven’t had time yet to look up the relevant planning permission details but I suspect that some of this vandalism violates their stipulations. No doubt when the houses are finished a ‘hedge’ of that awful Laurel will be planted where the original hedge had been. Or perhaps a large wall will be built around the plot of exclusive houses, no affordable housing here, and a gate put across their entrance. I’m becoming irritated.
*****
I may have related this episode before but it is relevant… Idly looking out of my bedroom window the other morning I was aware of a sudden flash across my vision as a Sparrow Hawk swooped into the hedge opposite. From that apparently empty hedge about 20 or more small birds, minus the one captured by the hawk, flew to safety in all directions. This evidence of so many birds using that stretch of hedge environment brings home the importance, as if you didn’t realise, of our traditional and varied roadside hedges.
You can understand why on a beautiful evening I’ve returned home with a bitter taste in my mouth.
Another spectacular sunset – so I’m hoping I’ll feel better tomorrow.
Vary sad. I have the impression that we hardly have a government at all, never mind decision makers that have any feeling of responsibility for the general good and the environment. I know their argument is that we need a strong economy to support social and environmental needs but at the moment there seems to be no sense of direction or long term planning, and I mean prior to the current mess which they knew about back in January when according to informed reliable sources they took virtually no action at all.
From this morning’s news it looks as though the Government are just getting themselves into a muddle over the use of masks. Yet more dilly-dallying.
Scientific sense obscured by the debate on shortage of masks for the NHS and others, a problem of their own making.
As you know I’ve been advocating masks from the start to protect us from those asymptomatic carriers who must have infected thousands by now.
Most other countries are insisitng on them when in close public places such as shops where even now people are not self distancing adequately.
Now what was I saying about planning?
Destroying hedges during the nesting season should be illegal.
Yes I completely agree. I am looking into this with the Council.
Planning has become a free-for-all these days. I guess they clear the hedges and trees because it makes the building work slightly easier and therefore cheaper, and of course they don’t give a shit 😒. Of course in the countryside where you are, getting planning permission to convert a farm field to housing increases it’s value from £5000 an acre to £500,000 an acre – what bigger driving force to corruption could there possibly be in small rural councils and planning offices!
A similar problem exists in central Manchester where I am, and which I’ve moaned about in my blog, where small patches of green land are being built over for offices. The council have spent 20 years encouraging people to live in the centre of the city, quite rightly, but then destroy all the green space that we have here. Then the apartment blocks they allow developers to build, which by law should 20% of which affordable, they give section 106 exemptions for, so out of 15,000 new apartments not a single one was affordable. It’s completely criminal, but they all get away with it. I’m even angrier than you about it I think BC!!!! 🤣😂
Sorrry if I’m getting people worked up this mornig but Your comments are justified.
Other locals whom I’ve spoken to are horrified by the action of the developers.
I’m with you all the way regarding the seemingly needless destruction of trees and hedges. A couple of years ago our housing association (which used to be the council housing department) decided to ‘upgrade’ the small estate where I live by replacing all the old timber fencing and front gates with metal ones, and putting up new fencing in the back gardens. I had a lovely big tree at the bottom of my garden – well away from my house or anyone else’s – must have been there since the estate was built round about WW2, but it was cut down and ripped out, as were all my flowering shrubs and bushes. I fought for three months to keep the fuschia hedges at the front but they were ripped out too – consequently I no longer have the joy of seeing and hearing all the little birds which used to frequent the tree and the hedges. Much of the greenery from this estate has all gone now and the place just looks so plain and sterile 🙁
As for destroying hedges in the nesting season, try contacting the Lancashire Wildlife Trust for clarification. I spoke to them when I had my hedge issues and was told that it is illegal to destroy birds’ habitat in the nesting season but unfortunately our HA did it later in the year so they got away with it 🙁
That doesn’t sound a very friendly communal HA.
I’ve tried to get through to the appropiate person at the councill today but all the lines are busy. Will keep trying tomorrow.
What sickening news!
Yes, it is criminal.
I’ve been trying to get through to the council to report it but the phones are useless today with all the other problems.
I suspect that’s why the developers thought that under the cover of Covid-19 they could get away with it.
I am sure you are right.
I wasn’t able to get through to the council to enquire about times of the year for hedgecutting. Just kept hearing recorded messages and going round in circles.
I left an Email message so I’ll see if there is any response.
Good luck with that.
Pingback: MY NECESSARILY LOCAL SPRINGTIME. | bowlandclimber