VIDEO: FORMER Mayor Geoff Settle has hit out at developers he claims are actively destroying trees and wildlife habitat during bird breeding season on sites across Warrington – the latest involving land at Peel Hall.
The latest destruction and threat to wildlife at Peel Hall was captured on film by a “spy in the sky” drone.
Mr Settle, who is Chair of Warrington Nature Conservation Forum, said “I raised my concerns a few weeks ago when a whole embankment at Latchford was felled along Station Road.
Former Mayor Geoff Settle
“The enforcement officers went out but it was too late to save any, however they have placed Tree Preservation Orders on other phases of the embankment on the other side of Old Grammar School Road. Here a developer has intentions of building 280 dwellings.”
Mr Settle has also been fighting to stop the land near his home from being developed for the last 20 years by Satnam on “Peel Hall” and was very annoyed to see pictures and an aerial video on a local Facebook site of bull dozers ripping up bushes and young trees.
He said: “I am a member of the Mersey Forest Steering Committee whose primary aim is to promote the planting, management and conservation of trees.
Warrington is part of the Mersey Forest and in recent years we have planted thousands of trees. To see this destruction that is destroying new growth is heart wrenching to us.”
Meanwhile as a trustee of the Mersey Gateway Environmental Trust he and his fellow directors are monitoring the impact on the Upper Mersey Estuary of the Mersey Link bridge builders. They are ensuring that they adhere to the terms and conditions that have been agreed to protect the wildlife habitat.
Mr Settle added: “The construction company of the New Mersey Link bridge know and respect what we regard as best practice with regard to hedge and tree maintenance. They recognise that no work can be carried out during the bird breeding season. This season began a number of weeks ago and goes on into
September.”
Geoff has notified Warrington Borough Council about his concerns and is currently awaiting a response about the “Peel Hall Development” site.
He added: “This is the third or fourth time Satnam have carried out works on the land and on previous occasions they torched the trees and bushes and smoke billowed everywhere some I believe even across the busy M62. They don’t appear to have much regard to wildlife or life in general only the thought of profit.”
Top: Chris Digita Video of Peel Hall Spy
Tractors at work on the land at Peel Hall
4 Comments
Its happening all over town. Its a pity the woodland on Omega Zone 7, the last tree, an ivy clad mature oak, being felled without ceremony on April 22nd with no bat or bird survey. The felled tree is still there. Felling the woodland left a stream exposed which is drying up. In clearing this before a planning application is submitted, the developers (which is a joint venture with WBC) avoid the need for ecological surveys or having to retain trees despite some of these being shown as retained on master plans. Bat boxes cant now be located on the retained trees as was proposed. The transplanted orchids were later scraped away by over-zealous contractors. Wire fences and ditches across the site prevent movement of what little wildlife remains. All this was was supported by Warrington Nature Conservation Forum and the Council. What has happened to the money for off-site mitigation? Where is the scrutiny and enforcement? It makes a mockery of the planning process and so called ecological enhancements.
Scrutiny and enforcement have been absent or put on the back burner for more years than I care to remember by WBC. Conditions upon which planning consents are apparently granted are rarely enforced. Leading to the not unreasonable conclusion the seemingly inviolable conditions are there as mere window dressing to ease the schemes through the planning process.
Better get used to it. With the population growing by 300 000 every year ( we all know why), there is more need for housing than trees. In 20 years time there will be no countryside, just parks separating sprawling towns.
Destruction of the habitat of nesting birds is an infringement of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 and in breach of the European Habitats Directive 1992/Nesting Birds Directive.
During the nesting season March 1st to July 31st (though this is a guideline only as birds can also nest both before and after this period) it is assumed that nesting birds will be present and it is the duty of the owner & contractor to prove otherwise.
Maximum penalty for EACH offence is £5k fine and up to 6 months imprisonment (Magistrates Court) and 2yrs imprisonment (Crown Court).
If it has been PROVED that no nesting birds are present the landowner may, without special licence, remove up to 5 cubit metres of habitat.
Without the evidence of the video above the landowner/contractor could claim that they had removed only the permitted amount. The video also shows that the brushwood removed has been dumped alongside and beneath adjacent woodland areas.
Will it be a ‘coincidence’ if this is torched by ‘vandals’ and the larger areas removed by fire with the costs being paid by the public purse for the attendance of the fire services?