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ADD UPDATE, 1 May 2017: Last Saturday, a group of us went for a guided run or a walk from the Fox and Hounds pub to see the bluebells in Upper Barn Copse, Crowdhill Copse and Stoke Park Wood. We were careful to keep to public rights of way.

There is no suggestion that the woods will be felled if Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) pursues options B and C of its Local Plan – but the ADD campaign maintains that there would be a devastating impact on them.

Building housing and roads too close to woods leads to wildlife corridors being degraded. There is also concern about invasive non-native species of plants spreading into sites of ancient natural woodland, damaging the ecology. This often happens unintentionally when gardens are close to woods. And the bluebells highlight this risk. Spanish bluebells are an invasive, non-native plant that can out-compete and hybridise with the English bluebell. Spanish bluebells are a comparatively common weed in local gardens, and the RHS recommends avoiding planting in gardens close to woods.

If options B and C go ahead, our bluebell glades will be at risk.

The Forestry Commission, which owns Stoke Park Wood, has informed EBC about the risk of developing too close to the woods and has stated that there has been little or no buffer with previous developments (click here for its letter to EBC, dated 12 December 2016). It has proposed a buffer of 10-15 hectares north of Stoke Park Wood to offset the impact. ADD has already reported that the Woodland Trust is concerned about developing the gap between its two Sites of Ancient Natural Woodland (Crowdhill Copse and Upper Barn Copse). The Woodland Trust believes the gap is too narrow for the proposed new road to have no impact on its woods.

Please do go and see the bluebells. Don’t pick them, do keep to the paths. Do remove Spanish bluebells from your gardens, and add to green waste collection at kerbside or at household waste recycling centres*. Let’s enjoy the countryside north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak and protect it for future generations too.

* Green waste schemes operated by local authorities compost garden waste at high temperatures set so that weed seeds are rendered unviable.

ADD UPDATE, 30 April 2017: This recording of BBC Radio Solent’s interview with TV naturalist Chris Packham and the Woodland Trust’s Chris Hickman on 20 April is a MUST LISTEN for anyone living in, or close to, Bishopstoke, Fair Oak, Upham, Owslebury, Allbrook, Colden Common, Chandler’s Ford, Highbridge, Brambridge, Twyford or Otterbourne. To pique your interest, here are some excerpts:

“Don’t trash an area of international importance,” that’s the message from Chris Packham to Eastleigh Borough Council who want to build a new bypass and 6,000 houses near ancient woodlands and over the River Itchen (options B and C of its emerging Local Plan).

Packham tells BBC Radio Solent’s Jo Palmer: “When you are fortunate enough to be operating in a borough where this is such significant ecological value then you certainly don’t trash that. Think again. Think more carefully. Don’t think about yourselves. Think about your grandchildren who might be living in that borough…”

Asked about the planned development’s impact on the area’s ancient woodland, Packham replies: “There is a plethora of reasons why you don’t have to cut a tree down to have an impact on woodland and of course the same goes exactly for the waterways.”

The Woodland Trust’s Chris Hickman agrees with Packham, adding: “We have a real problem because [this proposed development] will impact two woods that we own… We campaign to protect ancient woodland across the country… but it is quite rare that [a development] impacts on two woods which we own – so clearly it’s a concern to us.”

Hickman says that the proposed new road “will go right through the middle of the two woods we own… There is about 100-150 metre gap between these two woods and you can imagine if it’s a bypass it’s not going to be a small road so you can imagine the width of that road is likely to be quite substantial. As Chris is saying, it’s not just necessarily about cutting trees down… Ancient woods have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years; they’ll have been undisturbed so to suddenly have a bypass…and development next to them… is clearly going to be very hard for the wildlife.”

He goes on: “When there is development that threatens ancient wood we always talk about having a buffer, but it’s important that that buffer is of significant distance to keep the woods as minimally impacted as possible – so clearly the bypass going in between two woods where there is only 100-150 metres distance at the moment is going to be quite tricky…

“The government [recently] published a white paper on housing… [in which it] recognised the value of ancient woodland, so we are calling now for government to act on that, to ensure ancient woodland does have better protection… so that developments like this can’t impact on ancient woodland.”

Asked for a message for Eastleigh Borough Council, Hickman says: “Clearly there is need to build houses across the country but it shouldn’t be at the cost of what is an irreplaceable habitat that needs to be protected… We need to look after the wildlife for the people and future generations that use the woods.”

Eastleigh Borough Council were asked onto the programme but said they were unavailable.

To listen to the recording, click here.

Letter to the Echo from Richard May, Eastleigh, 4 April 2017: Eastleigh Borough Council’s local plan that will devastate the Stoke Park Wood area is yet another of their crazed schemes driven only by the perceived financial gains that it will create. Where we can fight these plans is at the ballot box. There is desperate need for political change in Eastleigh. We all need to vote at the imminent local election. Less than 30% of us bother to vote and as a result many of the ruling Lib Dem councillors retain their seat with just 10% of the vote. I urge all those fighting these plans to vote. The possibility of losing political power will frighten this Council more than any other action.

ADD UPDATE, 28 April 2017: Ahead of the Hampshire County Council (HCC) elections on 4 May, ADD has invited each candidate for each ward that will be impacted by options B and C of Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC)’s Local Plan (namely its plans for 6,000+ houses and a major new road north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak) to submit an article of no more than 100 words that describes their position with regards to this proposed major development area.

On 28 April, Jan Warwick, Conservative candidate for Winchester Downlands, sent us the following email:

“Options A and B are of concern to the residents of Otterbourne, Twyford and Colden Common. While we recognise that Eastleigh, like Winchester, needs to build additional houses, we are concerned about the impact on our area. The road will cross unspoilt flood plains at the River Itchen. The plan includes many houses visibly built on open countryside. We are concerned that more traffic, risk of flooding and threat to local wildlife will impact on the lives of residents in Highbridge and Otterbourne.”

Jan Warwick, Conservative candidate for Winchester Downlands

ADD UPDATE, 28 April 2017: It’s not just ADD that is determined to protect our threatened ancient woodland. We’ve no less an ally now than the government minister in charge of such things. On 24 April, in response to a question from Eastleigh MP Mims Davies, Planning Minister Gavin Barwell told the Commons that ancient woodlands, like Eastleigh’s Stoke Park Wood and Park Hills Wood, are “a precious resource inherited from previous generations and which cannot be easily replaced”. Moreover, he confirmed the government’s commitment to protecting ancient woodland and said measures to protect them would be increased.

The news comes as a relief to the host of national bodies campaigning to protect the ancient woodland north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak from proposals by Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC). As ADD supporters know, EBC wishes to build 6,000+ new houses on glorious green fields and serve them with a major new road that would squeeze between two ancient woodlands – Stoke Park Wood and Crowdhill Copse – before it crosses the River Itchen, which has the highest possible European protection.

In addition to the three local MPs and local Green MEP, bodies against these plans now include the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), the Woodland Trust, the Hampshire & Isle of White Wildlife Trust, the Angling Trust, the Test and Itchen Association, and the Forestry Commission. As TV naturalist Chris Packham has put it, the borough’s ancient woodland and waterways are of “national importance” and EBC’s plans amount to “eco-vandalism”.

All the candidates for the Bishopstoke and Fair Oak ward for the Hampshire County Council elections on 4 May are firmly against options B and C, with the exception of one: the Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Thornton, who remains totally silent on the issue. Unlike all the other candidates, Mr Thornton has ignored our invitation to comment on the plans.

But, given Eastleigh Borough Council’s intransigence, the battle is not over (by any means), so if you would like to add your support, why not drop a line to the editors of the Daily Echo (email: [email protected]) or the Hampshire Chronicle (email: [email protected])? They’d love to hear from you.

ADD UPDATE, 27 April 2017: Ahead of the Hampshire County Council (HCC) elections on 4 May, ADD has invited each candidate for each ward that will be impacted by options B and C of Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC)’s Local Plan (namely its plans for 6,000+ houses and a major new road north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak) to submit an article of no more than 100 words that describes their position with regards to this proposed major development area.

On 27 April, Andy Moore, UKIP candidate for Eastleigh North (including Allbrook), sent us the following email:

“Over the last few years I have been finding lots of pollution problems with sewage leaking into our rivers. This happens mainly when it rains. Southern Water say the sewage treatment works is now maxed out and will take five years of upgrading to cope with what was on the last forward plan. EBC does not have one now so, until this very important infrastructure is in place, options B and C should not be allowed to proceed. This would, without consideration, destroy our green fields and the wildlife that depends on it. Stop all uncontrolled building.”

Andy Moore, UKIP candidate for Eastleigh North

ADD UPDATE, 27 April 2017: Ahead of the Hampshire County Council (HCC) elections on 4 May, ADD has invited each candidate for each ward that will be impacted by options B and C of Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC)’s Local Plan (namely its plans for 6,000+ houses and a major new road north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak) to submit an article of no more than 100 words that describes their position with regards to this proposed major development area.

On 27 April, Max Priesemann, Green candidate for Winchester Downlands (including Otterbourne), sent us the following email:

“I oppose the proposed plan for north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak as it will increase traffic and pollution even within the Downlands division. Valuable woodland and ecosystems need to be preserved for wildlife and local communities. Affordable housing is required for locals but it needs to be planned sustainably:

• Affordable housing for local people,
• No more pollution and congestion from increased car traffic,
• Save cycle routes,
• Tram routes linking with the railway network to provide convenient alternatives to commute to Southampton, Winchester and beyond,
• Investment in schools, libraries, health centres and community halls,
• No housing development in flood plains.”

Max Priesemann, Green candidate for Winchester Downlands

APPEAL TO ADD SUPPORTERS: PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION BY 2 MAY, 26 April 2017: As ADD supporters know, the protection of ancient woodland is an important issue in our efforts to prevent Eastleigh Borough Council from pressing ahead with its plans to build 6,000+ new houses and a major new road north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak (namely options B and C of its Local Plan). The beautiful countryside in this area includes seven sites of ancient woodland: Stoke Park Wood, Crowdhill Copse, Upper Barn Copse, Hill Copse, Park Hills Wood, Hallands Copse and Tippers Copse.
The government’s recent housing white paper suggests giving additional protection for sites of ancient woodland within the National Planning Policy Framework. However, the white paper does not go as far as to suggest removing a key get-out clause that local authorities and builders are using to avoid their responsibilities. The get-out clause states:  “Ancient Woodland enjoys a presumption in favour of retention, save in circumstances that… the need for, and benefits of, the development in that location clearly outweighs the loss.”

A number of organisations, including the Woodland Trust, are campaigning to get this clause removed. However time is running out as the white paper’s consultation period ends at 11.45pm NEXT TUESDAY, 2 MAY 2017.

The simplest and quickest way to support the change is by adding your name to the Woodland Trust’s petition on this matter. To do so, please CLICK HERE. A letter to your local MP would, of course, also help the cause.

A small change in the wording within the white paper may seem a minor matter, but it could add strength to our campaign to protect options B and C from the council’s devastating proposals.

PLEASE SIGN UP TO THE PETITION NOW AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO SO TOO!

ADD UPDATE, 26 April 2017: Following our successful ADD run on 2 April, we will be holding a ‘bluebell walk and run’ through the beautiful Stoke Park countryside this Saturday, 29 April, to raise awareness for our campaign and to remind ourselves of what will be lost if Eastleigh Borough Council goes ahead with its plans for 6,000+ new houses and a new road north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak (namely options B and C of its emerging Local Plan).

We will meet at the Fox and Hounds, Winchester Road, Fair Oak, SO50 7HB at 3pm. Fun runners will be able to enjoy a sociable 5.7km scenic route whilst walkers can enjoy a stroll through the countryside before entering one of the ancient woodlands to enjoy a stunning display of bluebells and other wildflowers – all of which are severely threatened by the council’s shocking plans.

Both the run and the walk will start and finish at the pub, so we hope you might also enjoy a drink or something to eat afterwards. Please do join us with your families! It promises to be a wonderful, if sobering, afternoon.

There will be no charge for entering although donations to our campaign funds – which are critical to fighting these heinous proposals – are always welcome!