Petition to save ancient woodland in North Berwick gains 1000 signatures
Locals are concerned a homeowner is planning to fell an area of Cotgreen Ancient Woodland in order to build several houses.
A planning application has been submitted to enclose an area of trees on the owner’s land with a fence, which he insists will not affect the woodland, apart from the felling of three trees.
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Hide AdBut campaigners think this will be the first step in a series of applications, which will eventually seek to build houses on the woodland.
They believe the applicant is an established property developer, but a representative denied this.
The petition was created a year ago when a planning application was put in by the same man for extensions to the house and building of a terrace, also involving the cutting down of a number of trees, which was approved. It has seen a resurgence as as the new application was put in.
John Wellwood, a neighbour who created the petition, said he wants to protect the trees on environmental grounds.
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Hide Ad“In little woodlands like this trees are getting cut down all the time. This is happening all over the country. And the problem is, you cut down three mature trees like this gentleman wants to do, and it’s only three trees [...] but it takes decades for them to come back,” he said.
But the agent for the planning applicant said: “This woodland is part of the private property of Cotgreen. The house owner has simply applied for planning permission to put a fence around his woodland, and to take down three of the less significant trees nearest to his house. The woodland is statutorily protected, he has no intention of doing anything to it, and the planning application makes clear that it is to remain in its existing use.”
Jeremy Findlay, a Conservative Councillor on the Planning Committee, said he was ‘aware’ of the situation.
"I’ve been approached by lots of people in North Berwick, and the only thing I can say is that when it comes to planning I will take the decision based on the best interests of the community,” he said.