Forum Topic

Petition to save the Town Wharf trees

THIS WEDNESDAY developer Ballymore intends to chop down all the trees on Town Wharf – part of a big programme of tree removal on the South side of Brentford High Street in preparation for future development.Town Wharf is a small historic harbour formed by a loop in the River Brent. It is home to seventeen people living on boats, over 23 species of birds (including kingfishers) and has a thriving population of extremely rare two-lipped doorsnails that are only found on this stretch of the River Thames (seehttp://www.lbp.org.uk/downloads/PrioityInverts/ThamesDoorSnail.pdf)Chopping down the trees will destroy the beautiful communal gardens that residents have created over the past decade. It will disrupt birds at the height of the nesting season and damage the habitat of the two-lipped doorsnails who climb the trees to feed off algae on bark and leaves.We strongly challenge the necessity of removing the trees at this point in Ballymore’s Brentford development – years before the developers will be ready to plant replacement trees or create new wetland habitats.Please sign the petition:https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-the-town-wharf-trees-in-brentford

Reg Ghosh ● 3728d13 Comments

Well done, Reg, for raising the issue.  Lest we relax, do we know who the meeting will be with, where and when?

Barry Jacques ● 3726d

Great news, thanks to everyone for spreading the issue on Twitter and Facebook.

Reg Ghosh ● 3726d

Thanks and well done, Reg, for bringing this to our attention.  Outrageous they were thinking of cutting down trees in the middle of the bird breeding season.  Let's hope the revised plans for preparation of the development show some sense.

Catherine Jones ● 3726d

Great news!

Vanessa Smith ● 3726d

Message from Catherine Flood, via 38°a massive thank you to everyone for your keen support . We are very relieved to inform that at least for now the felling of the trees has been postponed. Joe Swindles of Ballymore developers has contacted us personally to assure us that the felling will not commence tomorrow as originally planned. He has agreed to arrange a meeting to discuss what happens next in regard to the trees. It is apparent that there are legal issues to review . we will obviously be very appreciative of your continued support and input of knowlege and ideas on this . Thank you again for your help ! ! !

Barry Jacques ● 3726d

This from the Arboricultural Association website:The ‘Bird Nesting Season’ is officially from February until August (Natural England) and it is recommended that vegetation works (tree or hedge cutting) or site clearance should be done outside of the nesting season. However, in reality the nesting period may start before this and extend beyond it, in some cases. The busiest time for nesting birds is from 1st March until 31st July and of course varies according to species, etc.The maximum penalty for each offence in the Magistrates’ Court is a £5000 fine and/or six months imprisonment, and a £5000 fine and two years’ imprisonment in the Crown Court.

Katherine Kaufman ● 3726d

I'm trying to work out which trees these are. The photo with the landscape designer's blurb http://www.hada.co.uk/#!town-wharf-brentford/cyu0 has Johnson's Island at its centre. Is it the small locked-in harbour just north of there, which I think is accessed from a gateway opposite the Brewery Tap?

Bryan Betts ● 3727d

Signed and shared on Facebook.JL

Jim Linwood ● 3728d

Signed.

Anne England ● 3728d

Singed and shared on Twitter.

Vanessa Smith ● 3728d

Signed and shared. Anyone going to be there on Weds to try and hamper the proceedings?

Joanna Russell ● 3728d

Signed and shared.

Katherine Kaufman ● 3728d

Well done Reg, signed and shared on Facebook

Ian Speed ● 3728d