Sadness grows to outrage at SECOND tree now cut down.
Workmen felling a tree marked for clearance to create a new access road off Symn Lane for a building project on the adjacent green field have now felled a second substantial tree on land belonging to the fire station.
The Wotton Times spoke to an attending fire officer who said he had “no idea” why the second tree was being felled, since it is a considerable distance from the access road.
The Wotton Times has requested comment from the town council.
A family who live next to the fire station said they are dismayed: “The plans show this second tree is nowhere near the planned entrance. Our daughter always loved the view of this tree. Now it’s just a dead space.”
2.00pm update: In other developments on this story:
The Wotton Times has been made aware that the sweetener of a car park in return for permission to build this estate on AONB land has continued to be eroded in terms of any potential public amenity value. Having begun at 100 car parking spaces, the total fell to 96 and now stands at 80. From that alleged benefit can be subtracted the consequent loss of parking on Symn Lane, which will be made effective by an imminent traffic regulation order to create duble yellow lines from the Chipping Surgery down to Wotton Pool. We have also been anonymously tipped off that Penarth-based GHR Properties may be unaware of the degree of local controversy over this project. The second felled tree, today, we are told, is due to mission creep: ie initial planning permission being incrementally added to. Our source tells us it will very unsurprising if the new developer does not further seek to lessen the burden of providing a car park. The profit, after all, lies in building houses. ... See MoreSee Less
More disturbing news: the Wotton Times has spoken to a tree consultant professional working within the planning sector this morning and been given to understand that the final tree report accepted by SDC’s tree officer Mark Hemming paved the way for “totally unnecessary” removal of several metres’ growth from the top of the huge horse chestnut which sits behind the fire station. “There’s no need to touch it, it’s the healthiest such a specimen can be.” Work on the tree, he says, will risk its health. The existing TPO will not protect it.
There we are, battling a viral pandemic, an environmental pandemic in the making and all that is important us to fell trees for yet another 8ncrease in houses - oh, and parking spades!😠
I think humanity us loosing the plot.
Blame your Council,you voted for them !.The workers are being paid by you,and you have the right to moan back,but to The Council !.
Do I sniff a trace of corruption amongst those in suits..🤬🤬🤬
Extinction Rebellion Stroud has condemned the work being carried out in Wotton today.
"Cutting down mature trees is essentially madness at this point in the ecological decline of our planet," said a spokesperson.
"The window of possible action is shrinking everyday and we simply cannot afford to lose more mature trees and the biodiversity they support, especially here in Britain."
Biodiversity fragmentation in Britain is at a critical point, unnecessary vanity projects like HS2 for example are threatening a very fragile balance of nature and unfortunately, despite XRs continued campaign to raise the alarm it is still slipping off people's radar."
XR Stroud added: "We cannot be at every tree felling which is why we are pushing for systemic solutions."
9.00AM:
Workmen are cutting down a substantial tree on Symn Lane this morning to make way for the beginning of the project to build a car park and 12 houses on the AONB green field behind the fire station.
In the past few weeks, local developer Colburn Homes is understood to have walked away from the controversial project which has divided local opinion.
A neighbour overlooking the work told the Wotton Times: “This is such a sad day for us. We live in a town where trees are usually protected, but if you’re going to rip up the rules and build in ‘protected’ green space I guess one tree doesn’t matter. It’s one rule for little people and no rules for greedy developers.”
It is believed that Welsh builder GDH is now commencing the work, having requested technical variations in the order of progress to enable an access road to be built between the Chipping Surgery and the fire station. ... See MoreSee Less
Trouble is we all know chipping car park isn't big enough yet they are still approving change of use of places like the old pizza planet to 2 flats with no parking as there is plenty in the chipping so that could be 4 long stay spaces used and even less for shop staff something has to give it isn't sustainable
The primary reason for this site becoming a car park was 20+ years of inaction and prevarication. Over the years there have been plenty of opportunities to address and/or manage things. This development is clearly in the wrong place with the wrong type of housing but the opportunities to develop in other, more suitable locations, had been squandered. I've written about this at length if you want the detail. Whatever your view on the development can I please ask that people refrain from personal attacks, it's not appropriate or justifiable by any measure.
docs.google.com/document/d/1KjS9yFEEsyfffp2dmpif_vlTfJW2TUcrS9kMTqbqoKw
The Wotton Times can you ask our local green councillor her opinion on this please? She seemed very pally with XR when they were depositing shoes all over the war memorial back last year.
I've said how disgusting this is in q past post but got shot down by a lot of people saying we need the car park for our businesses, etc. Even more people thinking about money alone and not the green space being destroyed. It sickens me that even local people would support the destruction of green space for monetary reasons. There is always somewhere to park in Wotton, sometimes you just have to be willing to walk a bit further.
Has anybody bothered to check if the tree has a Tree Protection Order on it? Massive trouble for a developer if tree with a TPO On it is cut down!
Thanks Catherine Braun, your disgraceful performance at the Stroud DCC meeting won't be forgotten in a hurry. This will be your legacy, a car park outside the town boundary, in a very prominent position in the AONB. Very Green.
And yet SDC refused a local business's application for a very sustainable live work unit, which included huge ecological enhancements. Guess the council didn't get their 'suggested donation'
Just goes to show it's all about the money at the cost of the environment.
Shocking, especially for a car park that no one will use!😡
Sacrilege should never be allowed. Where is our green party now????? Oh forgot they were all for this housing. SUE nash
This is just so utterly sad. It’s such a beautiful view from that corner of Wotton as I run up/down that hill and sometimes stop to take in the view, get some head space and just think for a bit.
As Jason Fifield said, it’s about money and not the environment.
The other tree is nearly gone as well now. Not as big as the first but a favourite of the wild life.
Workmen felling a tree marked for clearance to create a new access road off Symn Lane for a building project on the adjacent green field have now felled a second substantial tree on land belonging to the fire station.
The Wotton Times spoke to an attending fire officer who said he had “no idea” why the second tree was being felled, since it is a considerable distance from the access road.
The Wotton Times has requested comment from the town council.
A family who live next to the fire station said they are dismayed: “The plans show this second tree is nowhere near the planned entrance. Our daughter always loved the view of this tree. Now it’s just a dead space.”
2.00pm update: In other developments on this story:
The Wotton Times has been made aware that the sweetener of a car park in return for permission to build this estate on AONB land has continued to be eroded in terms of any potential public amenity value. Having begun at 100 car parking spaces, the total fell to 96 and now stands at 80. From that alleged benefit can be subtracted the consequent loss of parking on Symn Lane, which will be made effective by an imminent traffic regulation order to create duble yellow lines from the Chipping Surgery down to Wotton Pool.
We have also been anonymously tipped off that Penarth-based GHR Properties may be unaware of the degree of local controversy over this project.
The second felled tree, today, we are told, is due to mission creep: ie initial planning permission being incrementally added to. Our source tells us it will very unsurprising if the new developer does not further seek to lessen the burden of providing a car park. The profit, after all, lies in building houses. ... See MoreSee Less
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More disturbing news: the Wotton Times has spoken to a tree consultant professional working within the planning sector this morning and been given to understand that the final tree report accepted by SDC’s tree officer Mark Hemming paved the way for “totally unnecessary” removal of several metres’ growth from the top of the huge horse chestnut which sits behind the fire station. “There’s no need to touch it, it’s the healthiest such a specimen can be.” Work on the tree, he says, will risk its health. The existing TPO will not protect it.
There we are, battling a viral pandemic, an environmental pandemic in the making and all that is important us to fell trees for yet another 8ncrease in houses - oh, and parking spades!😠 I think humanity us loosing the plot.
Blame your Council,you voted for them !.The workers are being paid by you,and you have the right to moan back,but to The Council !.
Do I sniff a trace of corruption amongst those in suits..🤬🤬🤬
Extinction Rebellion Stroud has condemned the work being carried out in Wotton today.
"Cutting down mature trees is essentially madness at this point in the ecological decline of our planet," said a spokesperson.
"The window of possible action is shrinking everyday and we simply cannot afford to lose more mature trees and the biodiversity they support, especially here in Britain."
Biodiversity fragmentation in Britain is at a critical point, unnecessary vanity projects like HS2 for example are threatening a very fragile balance of nature and unfortunately, despite XRs continued campaign to raise the alarm it is still slipping off people's radar."
XR Stroud added: "We cannot be at every tree felling which is why we are pushing for systemic solutions."
9.00AM:
Workmen are cutting down a substantial tree on Symn Lane this morning to make way for the beginning of the project to build a car park and 12 houses on the AONB green field behind the fire station.
In the past few weeks, local developer Colburn Homes is understood to have walked away from the controversial project which has divided local opinion.
A neighbour overlooking the work told the Wotton Times: “This is such a sad day for us. We live in a town where trees are usually protected, but if you’re going to rip up the rules and build in ‘protected’ green space I guess one tree doesn’t matter. It’s one rule for little people and no rules for greedy developers.”
It is believed that Welsh builder GDH is now commencing the work, having requested technical variations in the order of progress to enable an access road to be built between the Chipping Surgery and the fire station. ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
Trouble is we all know chipping car park isn't big enough yet they are still approving change of use of places like the old pizza planet to 2 flats with no parking as there is plenty in the chipping so that could be 4 long stay spaces used and even less for shop staff something has to give it isn't sustainable
The primary reason for this site becoming a car park was 20+ years of inaction and prevarication. Over the years there have been plenty of opportunities to address and/or manage things. This development is clearly in the wrong place with the wrong type of housing but the opportunities to develop in other, more suitable locations, had been squandered. I've written about this at length if you want the detail. Whatever your view on the development can I please ask that people refrain from personal attacks, it's not appropriate or justifiable by any measure. docs.google.com/document/d/1KjS9yFEEsyfffp2dmpif_vlTfJW2TUcrS9kMTqbqoKw
The Wotton Times can you ask our local green councillor her opinion on this please? She seemed very pally with XR when they were depositing shoes all over the war memorial back last year.
I've said how disgusting this is in q past post but got shot down by a lot of people saying we need the car park for our businesses, etc. Even more people thinking about money alone and not the green space being destroyed. It sickens me that even local people would support the destruction of green space for monetary reasons. There is always somewhere to park in Wotton, sometimes you just have to be willing to walk a bit further.
Has anybody bothered to check if the tree has a Tree Protection Order on it? Massive trouble for a developer if tree with a TPO On it is cut down!
Thanks Catherine Braun, your disgraceful performance at the Stroud DCC meeting won't be forgotten in a hurry. This will be your legacy, a car park outside the town boundary, in a very prominent position in the AONB. Very Green.
And yet SDC refused a local business's application for a very sustainable live work unit, which included huge ecological enhancements. Guess the council didn't get their 'suggested donation'
Just goes to show it's all about the money at the cost of the environment.
Shocking, especially for a car park that no one will use!😡
Sacrilege should never be allowed. Where is our green party now????? Oh forgot they were all for this housing. SUE nash
This is just so utterly sad. It’s such a beautiful view from that corner of Wotton as I run up/down that hill and sometimes stop to take in the view, get some head space and just think for a bit. As Jason Fifield said, it’s about money and not the environment.
The other tree is nearly gone as well now. Not as big as the first but a favourite of the wild life.
Another tree bites the dust 😢.!
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Brilliant xx
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