‘IT ISN’T JUST SOME TREES... IT WAS AN URBAN WOODLAND’
Developer told to stop felling on new city homes site
A DEVELOPER has been told to stop chopping down trees after an ‘urban woodland’ was felled to make way for homes.
Trees at the former Century Oils site in Hanley were felled on March 31. Neighbours said the brownfield site was ‘abundant with wildlife’ and are distraught at the loss of the woodland.
The developer, Bluefield Sandbach, said it was advised by an ecologist and no laws or conditions were broken.
But Stoke-on-trent City Council has ordered the work to stop. Staffordshire Police confirmed they had ‘looked into it’ too.
Neighbours say the trees were felled during nesting season and say they saw a dead owl nearby soon after.
Rebecca Davies, of the nearby Portland Inn community project, reported the issue to Staffordshire Police’s Wildlife Crime Team and the council’s planning department.
She said: “It’s not just some trees, it’s an old brownfield site that has become an inner-city woodland. In the planning
application there is a condition that clearly states any clearing of those trees doesn’t take place during nesting season.” She said the felling began on March 31, ‘the height of nesting season’ despite a condition ‘that no clearing takes place between March and August’.
“There were no signs put up, no communication from the developer of what was about to take place, which is really disappointing,” said Ms Davies.
“A couple of days after, a dead owl was spotted a few streets away. There were all sorts of animals on the site, hedgehogs, birds, owls, squirrels, frogs, newts and ducks. It’s abundant with wildlife.”
The developer said it was clearing the site of ‘self-setting trees and vegetation that has become established over recent years while the site has been dormant’.
It added: “The work has been carried out in the presence of a fully qualified ecologist to ensure no trees are removed where there is a presence of nesting birds, and no harm is caused to any wildlife on the site. The works being carried out do not require planning permission.
“Despite the rumours regarding
a dead owl spotted close to the site there has been no evidence of any owl activity on the site and Bluefield’s ecologist has confirmed that the vegetation is not suitable or usual for owls.”
The developer added the clearance had been due to finish on Friday, and ‘in due course’ it would begin detailed ground investigations, before building work begins.
A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: “We’ve been looking into the matter and the developer has been working closely with an ecologist.
“The ecologist has advised the developer regarding what action can be taken so as not to harm wildlife.”
A city council spokesman said: “We’ve advised the landowner to cease all operations. Staffordshire Police are investigating to see if any offences have been committed under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and we are working closely with them.
“We’ve also been in touch with the Forestry Commission who have told us they will carry out a site visit as soon as possible.”
Bluefield was given outline planning permission to build 319 homes, including affordable housing, in November.