Cumbria Naturally
  • Home
  • Blog
  • My Books
    • Cumbrian Contrasts
    • A Lakeland Experience >
      • Introduction
      • Derwent
      • Langdale
      • Ullswater
      • Kentdale
    • About Scout Scar
    • Atlantic Odyssey
  • Other Writing
    • What Larks!
    • Further - Explore Shetland
    • Autumn Migration
    • Rydal and Nab Scar
    • Perspectives
    • The River Kent
    • Wings
  • Gallery
  • Contact

Ghyll Brow to Brigsteer Rise

11/3/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture Tree-felling, Ghyll Brow
Aerial,  he sees  me photographing the tree he's felling. 
'Ash die-back,' he yells down to me.
'Not if it's not ash.' I call back. 
Impossible to be sure how many trees have been  felled on what was an embankment, now excavated and demolished. I counted some hundred tree stumps among a debris of stone wall toppled.  When I find the planning application map re development off Brigsteer Road I'm incandescent with fury.  Take a look, it's             SL/2020/0783

The map isn't easy to manipulate. It shows  a sole mature tree where the footpath meets the Brigsteer Road  at Ghyll Brow.  Roadside,  where the embankment was, no trees are shown. Since the map shows what this site will look like this suggests there's no intention of replanting any trees  where the wildlife corridor was.  
On the north side of the road there's not a solitary tree on the embankment. Could be an oversight but that doesn't make sense because a couple of trees are shown low down the hill.  
What is shown, carefully designed, is the new housing estate at Brigsteer Rise with its own trees.  Detailed and meticulous planning for the new home owners. An enclave,  the surrounding landscape obliterated, a blank. 
March 2022. Story Homes can't control the story, the news agenda. Their development begins as Putin's forces invade, encircle the cities of Ukraine in siege warfare.  Images of war and of building sites coalesce as we watch the news then head for the countryside, through JCBs ( tanks) and through our blasted landscapes.  And it's not war, don't use that word -Putin threatens. He's 'liberating' Ukraine. Story Homes say they'll leave our landscapes 'enhanced.'  Putin's war crimes, his targeting hospitals and fleeing refugees,  mirrors the death of nature we see around us here.  Loss of species, decline in numbers, loss of habitat. Wildlife as refugees, forced to seek food, shelter and safety somewhere else when their habitat is destroyed. 
If I felt any respect I'd respectfully suggest that residents of our long-established community do not look to take a country walk through a housing estate/ building site when bound for Scout Scar. Especially when building may go on until 2030, we read, with all associated noise, traffic, disruption.
When new housing developments are planned, long before work begins, it is imperative that builders respect
THE ENVIRONMENT
THE LOCAL COMMUNITY 

I'd like to believe there's hope of recovery for the wayside verge along Brigsteer Road, for our severely damaged landscapes. But we can find no reference to replanting.  The embankment of trees, a wildlife corridor, is obliterated. The north side floral corridor is  a passing places for pedestrians on safe passage past the JCBs.  
Several of us searched independently on-line to find a comprehensive and detailed Reinstatement Plan for The Ghyll.  We cannot find it.   Does such a plan exist?
A friend looked up Siobhan Sweeney, Planning Manager for Story Homes and their Brigsteer Road development which she claims will 'complement the local area.'  Do you know the local area MIss Sweeney? If you did you would not make such a  claim.  Countless trees are lost, habitat is lost, the landscape downslope of your development is unrecognisable.  The strength of opposition to Story Homes 88 houses at Brigsteer should tell you of profound and reasoned concerns regarding building on this site.  Now it's happening our passion for our environment grows ever stronger. 
Your new housing development is within touching distance of the Lake District National Park but you do not once mention the environment blasted our of recognition by collateral damage as building commences.  You speak of  an opportunity for consultation with the local community. So might I ask why SLDC consultation meetings in 2014 bear scant relation to the scale of devastation here in 2022. And why residents  overlooking The Ghyll, Brackenwood, were not told that this site would be collateral damage consequent on your development. And even now we can find no plans to tell how you intend to restore any aspect of this much loved landscape. 
14th March     A fortnight ago a huge load of timber was loaded and the vehicle revved hard up the slope, onto The Brigsteer Road, tyres shedding mud. It left the earth churned and brown. Two weeks later there's a green haze of tiny seedlings. Given the slightest chance, nature can be resilient. We must give it a chance to regenerate.  
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    Jan Wiltshire is a nature writer living in Cumbria. She also explores islands and coast and the wildlife experience. (See Home and My Books)

    Archives

    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    November 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    April 2010
    January 2010
    November 2009
    January 2009
    January 2004

    Categories

    All
    A Local Patch
    Birdlife
    Butterflies And Moths
    Flowers
    Locations
    Views
    Walks
    Weather
    WIldlife

    RSS Feed

Website
Home
Blog
Gallery
Contact



​Cookie Policy
My Books
  • Intro - My books
  • ​Cumbrian Contrasts
  • A Lakeland Experience
  • About Scout Scar
  • Atlantic Odyssey
    ​
Other Writing
  • Intro - Other Writing
  • What Larks!
  • Further - Explore Shetland
  • Autumn Migration
  • Rydal and Nab Scar
  • Perspectives
  • The River Kent
  • Wings
Jan Wiltshire - Cumbria Naturally
© Jan Wiltshire 2022 All rights reserved
Website by Treble3