Planning Applications

ASHRA's Response - Forestry and Countryside

Forestry and Countryside

According to a Government requested independent report which published its findings in July 2012, the Government need to protect more countryside and plant additional trees to increase woodland. These findings are to be adopted by the Government.

As at 4th July 2012, Hampshire County Council have already announced 3 sites for additional planting of trees for the development of new woodland.

Barton Willmore’s Environmental Statement states that “the Application Site itself is dominated by species-poor grassland, considered to be of low ecological value”. In fact, the whole area covered by this Application was domiciled and SNCI in the 1990's. However, because there was a huge profit to be made by selling the land to builders, the owners ploughed the fields up in order to destroy (they hoped) any rare plants etc. However, because the owners have made little use of the land since, occasionally grassing the fields and once or twice planting rape, the rare plants are still evident.

Aspect Ecology Limited Baseline Ecological Assessment mentions by name many plants found in the field to the north east of the site. However, they fail to mention the Meadow Barley, Saxifrage & Sneezewort that are evident there. This could be because these rare species are the reason for the SNCI domicile on the area to the north west of the site.

Barton Willmore’s Environmental Statement, Non-technical Summary 6.4 talks about a range of potential effects being identified on habitats and fauna, and therefore potential for MINOR effects in relation to the Thames Basin Heaths SPA. In mitigation they plan on planting a few trees and shrubs. They are taking away a massive area of green space used by people enjoying the countryside and all sorts of wildlife, and in exchange planting some shrubs.