Chestnut Corner, 69 Braemar Avenue, Wordsley, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 5HU
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Chestnut Corner, 69 Braemar Avenue, Wordsley, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 5HU. South Staffordshire Council, Local Plan Team, Council Offices, Codsall, South Staffordshire, WV8 1PX. Date: 2nd December 2019, Dear Sirs. Re: SSC Local Plan Review. As representative of the owners of Friars Gorse, Mountpleasant Covert, Lawnswood we strongly object to the potential development of greenbelt land at Wordsley, Kingswinford and Wall Heath. The area of land formally the Yew Tree Farm Estate land abutting our land and bounded by Friars Gorse, Mountpleasant Covert, Crabtree Ruff and the River Stour is a truly unique area. Unlike any of the other areas under threat for one reason, it has been left fallow and un- worked for more than 25 years. This has created a unique environmental wildlife haven where the biodiversity within this enclave has been allowed to evolve unmolested, with only the bare minimum of human interference by the meadows being loosely mown only once a year and without removal of the cuttings. I live in a building with a unique perspective having panoramic views over the River Stour valley. This has allowed me to monitor the continuing growth and improvement of the biodiversity within the valley. A brief and not exhaustive list of resident wildlife noted by my armature observation on this small but valuable area is as follows: One pair of nesting Barn Owles. Three pairs of nesting Tawny Owles. One pair of nesting Kestrals. One pair of Sparrow Hawks. Five pair of Buzzards. One pair of Ravens. Numerous Rooks, Crows, Jackdaws, Magpies, Jays. Pigeons and Doves. Numerous Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker. Numerous meadow birds including Sky Larks, Meadow Pipet and many species of Finches, Tits and much more. Visiting birds include Cuckoos, Swallows, Swifts, Martins, Fieldfare, Redwing and much more. Also resident are Muntjac deer, Badgers, Foxes, Weasels, Stoats, mice, voles, rats, squirrels, hedgehogs, grass Snakes, Adders, Newts, frogs, toads and much more. We now have after many years absent Otters again in the River Stour locally. The meadow land itself is teaming with invertebrate and insect life, where in the summer time there are clouds of leaping Meadow Grasshoppers, Butterflies and Ladybirds. I also identified this summer at least 12 species of Bumble Bee and Honey Bee. There are also at least five species of bats. My list of resident wildlife for this area of land is not complete and there are many further mammal, bird, amphibian and insect species to be identified. Our hope is that by pointing out To Whom It May Concern the terrific importance of this thriving area of land. The former Yew Tree Farm Estate is a truly valuable untouched wildlife enclave, where the environment has been allowed to develop over many years without interference from modern farming practices, pesticides and herbicides. It is a pleasure and privilege to have this wonderfully diverse wildlife haven on our doorstep and it should be protected with all vigor to be enjoyed by generations to come. Were this extremely valuable wildlife haven to be lost under concrete and tarmac it would be a vicious and horrendous CRIME against the environment and society, the local people who get such great pleasure from such a marvelous resource. Our family in partnership with the Forestry Commission has worked for over 15 years on the conservation and restoration of our woodlands. We have had great success in encouraging wildlife in by creating a patchwork of environments within our woodlands, that in turn has also benefited greatly the adjoining meadowlands. Our overwelmimg fear is that the meadowlands are lost and our woodlands become a baron, wildlife free, sad green island within an ocean of concrete and tarmac destroying all of the very hard work and re-colonization it has taken to create such a jewel. Yours Faithfully. Mr. Kevin Whittingham. For and behalf of the owners of Friars Gorse, Mountpleasant Covert. Mr. Kevin Whittingham. Mrs. Claire Whittingham. Mr. Alex Whittingham. Mr. Ross Pearsall. Mrs. Claire Pearsall. Mr. Ellis Pearsall. Mrs. Georgia Pearsall. .