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Thu 6 Oct 2016, 14:51
I have occupied this land for about 15 years and during that time have restored the wild flower meadow to a state arguably better than that before Blenheim's intensive farming activities had reduced it to the mono culture green swathe that I took over. This was caused by their use of nitrogen inputs to bolster grass growth and selective herbicides viz. selected to kill everything except grass. I have done this work with the help and occasional advice of Chris Burnett a Botanist and an internationally known landscape architect. During the spring and summer, the land is a haven for birds, insects and other wildlife of all kinds. It is now the annual and preferred site for several species of ground nesting birds. In May on a wet night you can observe hundreds (probably many thousands) of rare Helix - Roman Snails going about their business. We have a large badger sett on nearby and the badgers love to use these pastures to feed on invertebrates at night. It is safe and relatively undisturbed and the cubs don't have to cross any roads. There is no dairy farming in the vicinity. The insect life in the summer is remarkable and I suspect this is because it is a short range to the forest just across the valley. I do not think I have seen so many butterflies on a meadow since I was a child 50+ years ago. All of this right on the edge of the town. If you are passing the site this weekend you will note the aftermath following haymaking is rich and green and the grasskeeping is now in excellent order. It must make a developer positively salivate!
If you want to make a case for the development of a sensitive site the best thing to do is get a very diverse gang of experts, who you pay, to come along and make lot of positive reports for your presentation to the Planning Authority. You carry out a "consultation". It's standard procedure - and now is exactly the moment, as we pass Michaelmas and as the countryside moves towards winter, to have a "wildlife" survey etc ?" that is if you are the developer. Why not come back in May or June and do a proper survey? Keith Claridge tells me that I apparently have a microphone attached to my gate at the moment, Lord alone knows what that's for?
The hay that has been made this year is the best we have ever made, thanks to help from Oliver Stobo from Fawler, and is rich in flower heads etc. It has taken 15 years to put the meadow back in order. I will be very sad to see this effort go for nought if my landlord - Edward Spencer-Churchill/Vanderbilt Homes does develop this property. I will be sorry also for the young families who regularly ask to visit the fields in the summer to see the horses and have their picnics and sit in the long grass and flowers with the butterflies etc. I will be sorry for everyone who enjoys the view of the forest from Fiveways as they stand at the bus stop or as they pass by and for my part what I will really miss most are the wonderful sunsets, particularly in the winter time, over the valley across to the forest, a vista that will be lost for ever ?" but then no one and certainly not a community, has the right to a view do they?
The access that is proposed is positively insane. It is very dangerous to negotiate this highway access as it is for occasional agricultural purposes and I am always in trepidation going in and out on a tractor let alone in a car - and I have a Class 1 HGV licence etc. I seem to have an unerring habit of having to negotiate a service bus or some young hero doing 50mph on the ninety-degree bend whether I go in or out at 6am or 6pm! Utterly crazy and the developer will know this is a major obstacle to overcome bigger than developing the allotments which doubtless was on the agenda to begin with. I hope Oxfordshire County Highways are a little better and honest at surveying the risk than they are at maintaining the roads and footpaths in Charlbury?
Surely no reasonable planning authority or planning inspector could ever permit this development?
Having written I doubt that my lease will be ever renewed - but I felt it needed to be said.
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