News / Yew Tree Farm
Tories and Greens join forces to call out continued threats to Yew Tree Farm
Councillors from the Conservative Party and the Green Party have joined forces to slam the failure to protect an ancient hedgerow at Yew Tree Farm.
Contractors with chainsaws cut a 12-foot gap in the hedgerow at Bristol’s last working farm on November 7 which landowners claim is for “agricultural purposes”.
Tory councillor Richard Eddy called the action to destroy the hedgerow “outrageous”; while Green councillor Emma Edwards has asked for a full report on the circumstances that led to it happening, blaming “incompetence” at City Hall.
is needed now More than ever
A decision made in spring permits the removal of the hedgerow off Bridgwater Road in Bedminster Down because Bristol City Council officers did not respond in time to save it.
In June, there was a rare show of unanimous cross-party support to save Yew Tree Farm, but the latest events have once again cast a shadow on the future of the land – which some fear could be used for housing.
Politicians from all four main parties with farmer Catherine Withers at Yew Tree Farm in June – photo: Yew Tree Farm
In member forum statements ahead of Tuesday afternoon’s full council meeting, Eddy and Edwards both lambasted the council and landowners Longmoor Land Limited, who have previously told the BBC they acted “in exact accordance” with planning permission.
Eddy said: “As the Mayor and Cabinet will know, an abortive attempt to destroy protected ancient hedgerow was made earlier this year. The outrageous action was only stopped due to the heroic acts of the farmer at Yew Tree Farm – allied with citywide supporters – and the ensuing ‘stand-off’ was widely reported in the local media.
“Nevertheless, the incident revealed that Bristol City Council had lamentably failed to uphold its obligations to protect ancient hedgerow – enshrined in national legislation – due to a bureaucratic error, in that it had failed to respond to the legal landowner’s application within the prescribed period of time.
“The Council’s Legal Services and Development Management Officers acknowledge this manifest failure but claim Pontius Pilot-like that they are now unable to do anything meaningful to protect ancient hedgerow here – which was recently accorded the status of a local Site of Nature Conservation Interest.
“On Tuesday, 7th November 2023, contractors engaged by Longmoor’s destroyed ancient hedgerow at Yew Tree Farm, claiming the previous Planning regime gave them the right to do so. I understand that Planning Enforcement Officers attended on the day.
“This gives rise to three related points:
- “Firstly, now that Longmoor contractors have achieved their vandalism at Yew Tree Farm, does Bristol City Council intend to take action against the landowner due to their abject failure to create the breach in the location indicated in the original application (contrary to Regulation 6 of the Hedgerow Regulations)?
- “Secondly, if not, why not (contrary to national legislation)?
- “Thirdly, I understand there is a proposal to plant 250 metres of replacement hedgerow somewhere else on site. Is Bristol City Council aware of this and have relevant Officers been consulted about this proposal, given that the site is now designated a SNCI?”
View this post on Instagram
In her statement, Edwards said: “Earlier this year councilors from all parties in this chamber came together to vocalise their support for Yew Tree Farm, Bristol’s last working farm, when it came under threat from developers.
“Many members even visited the farm to show support for the owner, Catherine Withers, and the ancient hedgerow which supports wildlife and is under threat from developers.
“Only two weeks ago in this chamber the draft local plan was voted for, also with cross-party support. A local plan which would strengthen protections for Sites of Nature Conservation Interest and take Yew Tree Farm off the table for consideration for development.
“In light of this, I hope councillors from across the parties join me in condemning the actions of contractors this week who, without warning, took a chainsaw to the hedge and cut a larger-than agreed upon gap in it, in a location also not agreed upon.
“What does it say about this council that such actions can take place, can’t be prevented and now, no remedy is offered?
“This is nothing less than ecocide and goes against this council’s own policies and ethos about environmental protection of SNCIs.
“The destruction of this ancient hedgerow is a direct result of incompetence within the council and was sadly inevitable once it had failed to fulfil its duty to deal with the application by Newcombe Estates appropriately.
“Information that should be shared has been withheld, leading to preventable mistakes. The Green Group is calling for a full report of the actions and decisions that lead to this destruction, and to see steps being taken to make sure something like this never happens again.
“I invite members of the other parties, members who stood with me along the hedge back in the summer to show their support, to join me again in condemning this act and calling for a report.”
In a statement sent to the BBC on November 7 after contractors cut through the hedgerow, landowners Longmoor Land Limited said they had acted “in exact accordance” with planning permission.
A spokesperson said they had “created a new 12ft access in the hedgerow from the lane to their own land solely for agricultural purposes”.
“The previous access to the field had been via land owned by Mrs Withers of Yew Tree Farm (who had grazed the Longmoor Land fields under a grazing licence).
“However, since that grazing licence was terminated last year, a new access is now required, and this has been put in place today.
“Longmoor Land is at the same time planting 250ft of new hedgerow in the same field, replacing the amount of hedgerow removed around 20 times over.”
Despite claims that the hedgerow was cut in the wrong location and the gap is wider than 12ft, a Bristol City Council spokesperson said that they have no evidence of this, nor any evidence to suggest the work was carried out in breach of the permissions and ecology plans in place.
Bristol Tree Forum also claim that contractors are continuing with the installation of a gate in the gap in the hedgerow even though the council’s planning enforcement teams are still investigating.
A spokesperson for Bristol City Council previously told Bristol24/7: “Officers are investigating whether works undertaken by the landowner are in accordance with the planning permission in place and conform to the ecological method statement agreed with the consultant ecologists.
“No evidence has been submitted at present to suggest any breach of planning permission. Officers will continue to monitor the works to ensure they remain in line with the agreed plans in place.”
Main photo: Betty Woolerton
Read next:
- Ancient hedgerow destoyed at Bristol’s last working farm
- Yew Tree Farm to be protected under new plans
- ‘Tackling the housing crisis and climate crisis are not mutually exclusive’
Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
