Hawk which took flight is back home with owner
DEVELOPER HAD BEEN GIVEN TIME TO REVISE PROPOSALS
A MISSING bird of prey has been found after being spotted in a tree in a cemetery by the owner’s eagleeyed partner.
The hawk, called Flare, had been missing for two days since flying off from her perch in Lee Millard’s back garden in Coalville.
His partner Anmy spied the redtailed hawk 40 feet up a tree in the local graveyard.
Lee, who has had the six-year-old bird for five months, said he had feared the bird was dead.
“She had equipment on her legs so I thought she would probably get tangled up somewhere and die,” said the 28-year-old heavy plant operator.
“I am delighted to get her back safe and sound.”
Lee said he was at work when Amy called him at about 4pm.
“She told me she could see Flare 40 feet up a tree in Broom Leys Cemetery,”
he said. “Amy had gone out for a walk with the children and to look for Flare.
“I could not get off work so I called my mate, Josh Waddingham, who is a falconer.
“He went there and enticed Flare down with some food – a dead chick. He took her and she was put back her in the aviary.
“I am really happy to see Flare but
I not sure if she is to see me as it’s hard to tell what a hawk is thinking!
“She is happy to be around easy food, that for sure. From now on I will make doubly sure she is securely fastened to her perch.”
Red-tailed hawks, which have a three-foot wingspan and can dive at speeds of up to 120 mph, are native of North America and eat small mammals.
PLANS to renovate a dilapidated factory site near a town centre into a complex of flats and houses have been refused by councillors.
The proposal for the buildings on Wood Street, in Hinckley, included a range of apartments and houses, and a new two-and-a-half-storey building to replicate a terrace of cottages.
The outline proposal was refused by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, as part of the new buildings that would be constructed facing Wood Street would result in “an unacceptable level of overlooking” for existing properties on the other side of the road.
Councillors previously considered the scheme in December 2020 and deferred the item to give the developer time to address several issues, including parking and the problem with overlooking.
The terrace block in the design was moved back three metres into the site and a further three parking spaces were added, bringing the total up to 40.
But this was still not enough to satisfy councillors and get the green light for the project. A planning document filed with the application said: “The Victorian factory is in poor condition making conversion commercially unviable.
“It is proposed to replace this with a new building which copies the scale and proportion of the original.
“Rebuilding will enable the new building to be eased back slightly from the road increasing the width of the footpath and thereby improving pedestrian safety and visibility from the site access. “The reduced individual storey height of the proposed residential use means a third storey can be incorporated without noticeably increasing the overall height. The fenestration will follow the original industrial character.
“The bricks and slates from the demolition will be salvaged and reused to build the replacement building. Brick detailing will also replicate the original.”
Council leader Stuart Bray said it was a shame the plans had to be refused as the brownfield site near the town centre was ideal for redevelopment.
The bricks and slates from the demolition will be re-used to build the replacement building