West Bridgford residents launch action to save woodland under threat from Police Station site development

Residents in West Bridgford are raising objections to the current plans for development of the Police station site in West Bridgford, saying it threatens one of the few wild woodlands remaining in the area.

McArthy Stone has a planning application in place with Rushcliffe Borough Council to build retirement apartments on the site but the current plans submitted to Council have caused many to object on the grounds of biodiversity, privacy and design flaws.

Current plans include removing multiple trees in the woodland that runs from Rectory Road to Church Drive – originally part of a larger woodland surrounding St Giles Church.

They plan to landscape part of the woodland area, including seating and a path through the trees.

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Residents near the site say that the biodiverse area currently provides a habitat for hedgehogs and native British birds as well as the rich mix of insect life that sustain them and that bats have been seen entering and exiting the woods regularly.

We’ve taken images below, but it’s very hard to see the scale of the wooded site because it’s not publicly accessible and is quite dense.

They add that they feel that the proximity of the current proposed development risks root damage to some trees including a centuries old Yew.

Plans have already been submitted to the Council for consideration and many residents in the surrounding area have raised objections.

Advice given to officers by experts within the Local Authority have also raised concerns and suggestions for improvement to protect the site.

Local resident Anna Critchley, who is one of many objecting to the plans told The Wire: ‘At a time when the planet faces climate change, we as a community should be doing all we can to protect and preserve our green spaces.

‘On a site the size of the former Police Station, there are ample available options for residents to enjoy outdoor seating, without the need to destroy the woodland’.

Resident Scott Smith said: ‘The plans try and cram in as many units as possible, without enough parking or space and the buildings will come right up to the edge of the wood, threatening it in the future.  It just doesn’t need to be like that.  I like that it will housing for older people, but the current plans are unworkable’.

Councillors will be deciding on the plans in the coming weeks.

Many residents remember the difficulties when the Police Station was built and fear more woodland will disappear for the sake of profit.

Residents can still make their feelings known by contacting their local borough councillor.

Plans can be seen on the council website here https://planningon-line.rushcliffe.gov.uk/online-applications/ and search for “West Bridgford Police Station”.

The group has produced a document of 13 reasons to protect the site in their opinion, this is reproduced unedited below:

WHY THE POLICE WOODLAND IS THREATENED

With over 60 documents on the  Planning Application website, few people have read them all in detail. Even fewer have visited the wood. Consequently, a deceptive headline story has been created  that the “woodland remains”which is false and misleading. Four statements from documents online illustrate this factually inaccurate claim:

• McCarthy and Stone say “The trees comprising the group TPO contained within the west and north of the site will remain, although five trees will be removed as they are dead or decaying. “
• Their ecological consultants say “the woodland will be retained within the proposed development with no measureable direct loss of woodland features”
• Paul Phillips , Rushcliffe Borough Council Environmental Officer says “provided the trees are not impacted and development avoids bird nesting season, it is likely there will be no ecological impacts”
• Notts Wildlife Trust say “We note the woodland will be retained”

All these statements are misleading and distort the real impact of the Planning Application  as the woodland and its biodiversity will be changed permanently and/or threatened by the following proposed actions.

1. The present TPO on this woodland is a Group of Woodland TPO which only protects those trees existing in 1996. Many trees are left unprotected. A full woodland TPO is necessary to protect the wood.
2. A paved seating area to the south-west side will situated in the woodland area
3. A gravel path is designed to wind through the lower part of woodland
4. Paved areas eating into the western boundary of the present woodland.
5. A bench is situated with grassland access towards the centre of wood.
6. Small trees may be removed. McCarthy and Stone’s tree report only lists trees with a diameter of 150mm or more ( apart from one holly).Many smaller trees ,1-5m high, are not protected in any way and can be removed. McCarthy and Stone make no commitment to them.
7. An electricity sub-station for the development is to be sited within the woodland to the north. This site is not essential :Western Power reports that a high voltage supply is available from Stratford Road and Rectory Road.
8. The trench and cable connecting this substation is likely to affect tree roots.
9. The emphasis on the larger trees hides the fact that the undergrowth , brambles, grass, long standing woodland humus, wild plants , fallen timber etc. are not protected. This woodland carpet is set to be totally changed into mown grass and grassland with bulb planting . Thus removing and endangering lichen, mosses, fungi, moths, butterflies, insect populations. McCarthy and Stone have made no promises that such areas will be protected but have plans for more ornamental planting in the wood area.
10. This change of the undergrowth threatens the hedgehog habitats and food sources for birds and bats
11. The light and noise from the flats will disturb insects and wildlife on the western side
12. Tree root damage is almost certain due to the construction.
13. There is no clear protective barrier to the woodland from this development site. This allows visitors, work people and others   to use it as a toilet or rubbish dumping area. Or simply to wander into it undermining its present protected nature.
14. No management plan has been submitted which could form part of the Planning permission and provide some protection to the woodland in the future.

IN THE FUTURE

15. It is absolutely certain that the present position of the western elevation will overshadow a number of flats .This will inevitably lead to demands probably in next few years for mature trees to be felled.
16. Some car parking spaces will be near trees dropping leaf drop and bird droppings on to cars which is likely to lead to more demands for cutting back or down of trees.This