What is happening to England’s green and pleasant land?
AS A resident of Ash Bank Road, Werrington, overlooking fields, (until recently Green Belt land) and 50 metres from the backs of houses on Salters Lane, I was deeply shocked to wake up to the sound of chainsaws cutting down three majestic trees at the backs of the Salters Close houses.
These trees, probably 40/70 years old and very much in their prime, have for years been the roost and perching point for large flocks of starlings, jackdaws, tree and house sparrows – even the occasional tawny owl and greater spotted woodpeckers.
Seeing these birds has for years given me and I’m sure for many residents around these group of houses, pleasure and a little hope that people and wildlife can live harmoniously together.
Now the trees are gone, turned into logs and pulp. Why? My investigation and telephone calls have revealed that the precious green belt land has been sold to a developer “Homes for England”.
Clearly green credentials would
appear to be secondary to profit and building convenience. Surely with the designs for the proposed 50+ houses on these fields, probably not even fully drawn out yet, any developer even remotely concerned with the environment, would look at the site, note the existing trees and use them to enhance the “natural beauty” of the development.
Knowing the plans, voted for by some local councillors to build on this green belt land, my husband Spencer had written to the council asking that if they must build, then at least consider supporting wildlife and bio-diversity by planting small fast growing trees on the narrow tongue of land between Ash Bank and Salters Close (these trees have been a natural boundary). Clearly not even the slightest consideration for the district council.
Sadly too, when I tried to talk to some local resident of Salters Close -one expressed sadness and horror -but one stated that they were glad that they were gone - and as they were only renting, they would simply move if building started. With that attitude it doesn’t give me a lot of hope for England’s ‘Green and Pleasant land’ and more vitally not for my grandchildren. Councillor Jean M Hodgetts Werrington