Updated from Cllr Michelle Marsh: “I have been on site since 8 this morning. Wildlife Officer has been there to document damage caused.”
“Police Wildlife Officer has spoken to the Enforcement Officer this morning. He came to site to document it. CHL attended last night and have marked the position of the oil pipe. Thanks to Debbie and Phil the new owners of the Brigadier Gerrard for meeting me on site and for your offer of support. Lots of lovely residents showing support. ENC reference number is ENF/2021/191. Please help us by contacting Natural England (enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk) and any agencies that can help us to bring to justice. It is not acceptable to say I own the land and can afford the fines. Thank you to all the people backing me to bring change and protect our environment.”
Not sure but that might be per tree? And extra for destroying nests/habitat? Hopefully lots of photos and evidence will lead to a successful criminal prosecution…
It’s so upsetting to see what has taken place here. Do we know who sold the land to Mr Barney? It might be that they knew his intention and this can be used as further evidence in the case against him. It also raises serious questions around the legitimacy of selling ancient woodland to private individuals.
ENC reference number is ENF/2021/191. Please help us by contacting Natural England to raise this issue (enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk) and any agencies that can help us to bring justice.
I emailed asking for laws to be put in place-
We need the following:
Enforcement powers to immediately stop developers from destroying protected trees. They frequently chop down trees with TPOs on a Saturday, Sunday or Bank Holiday as legal departments are closed and it is not possible for enforcement teams to get stop orders.
stricter penalties for these deliberate acts. We can currently issue a maximum fine of £20,000. We need significantly higher fines to ensure developments are not viable as a result if trees are unlawfully removed or make a prison sentence an option.
significant building bans on land which has been illegally cleared.
I’ve just emailed both contacts asking for urgent help to put a stop to this destruction but to also add the points into law that were mentioned above. Disgraceful behaviour to see this land ruined. Well done to everyone who has tried to do the right thing here.
Cllr Michelle Marsh has been on site from early this morning and has posted an update on the fire which has been started 20 metres from the fuel pipeline:
The Fire department were notified by Mr Barney that he was lighting a controlled fire with water on site. As a result they would not attend when residents started calling 999. The police have been attended. We have notified the pipeline and enforcement are aware. Significant air pollution today. Mr Barney knows what he is doing when he gets the diggers in at 5am to pile the wood up! His men disappeared quickly when the police arrived. Fire is now struggling to take hold despite the cardboards, pallets and tyres they brought. If however it does take hold please call the fire department as it is now an unattended fire.
Adam, can you supply the URL for this excellent report, please.
Can you also please download the following documents to Eastleigh Neighbours as a permanent record,(rather than supplying just the URL (which could be removed by interested parties).
In the interests of accuracy, this has been described from the first as ‘Ancient Woodland’. That is a legal definition:
Its sub-category “Ancient and Semi-Natural Woodland” applies to Scorey’s Copse (only) which runs behind the Brigadier Gerard. See HM Government’s ‘MAGIC’ website https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx) [Habitats and Species - Habitats - Woodland]
The whole of the woodland belongs in the ‘Priority Habitat Inventory’ category.
As the trees smoulder, let’s push harder for a legally-defined Green Belt for South Hampshire. Currently, in all Hampshire, all we have is a tiny bit on the far side of the New Forest, down near New Milton.
I bet everyone that emails George Eustice gets the same thing in their bounce back where it will say he can only correspond with his constituents. Poor really for a Councillor to waste everyone’s time like that and direct people to the wrong information. Well intentioned but not well informed.
Thanks @WalkerB sir, I’ve corrected the message. Lets not get political on this one though, she’s actively trying her best and I should imagine reaching him isn’t a day to day action for a local councillor. George Eustice’s profile online isn’t so helpful either as it all points to his mp one after i clicked around trying to find it.
