An article in the Rossendale Free Press (30th June 2006) stated that no more trees would be cut down from the Holly Mount site and that “our thinning out work, which is now complete, will actually allow the remaining trees to flourish” (Daniel Hartley, Senior Planner). He went on to say ,“We propose to submit landscaping details so that the tree planting can take place on the boundaries of the site.”
To find out more about these plans, and bring our concerns directly to Hurstwoods, we contacted Daniel Hartley to request a meeting with him. After some persuasion that we were rationale, normal people (he didn’t want to come to a meeting with thirty people all shouting at him!) he agreed to meet a small number of representatives from HORRA on Friday 21st July. This is an account of that meeting for those members of HORRA who couldn’t attend and as a statement of what happened.
The HORRA representatives started by explaining why HORRA was formed and why we are campaigning for the return of the trees.
Mr Hartley explained that the trees had been cut down in response to a Planning Officer in Rossendale Borough Council (RBC) who had placed a Tree Protection Order on trees on another site Hurstwoods owned without consulting with Hurstwoods first.
He then went on to show the representatives a copy of the landscape plans for the area. (See Figure below). He stated the plan would be submitted to the Council for information only. When asked, he explained that the Council did not need to give permission for it to go ahead nor that Hurstwoods were committed to carrying out the landscaping. They may decide not to do it, but he would promise that the planting of the trees around the border would go ahead if HORRA were to write letters supporting the planned development at Holly Mount (This is against a background of HORRA members currently having all written objections against the development and leafleting the neighbourhood to also object).
He then pointed out that Hurstwoods are aware that some of the gardens belonging to some HORRA members encroach onto land belonging to Hurstwoods. He stated that their legal department were looking into this and some may be reclaimed, but that the company were prepared to be ‘flexible’ about this in some cases. When it was pointed out that these gardens had been in use for 20+ years, he said that was a matter for their legal team.
It was asked if there were any plans to develop the site where the trees used to be, given that in the landscaping plans this had been left deliberately clear, with trees only round the very edge. He said there were no immediate plans to develop this area, but he couldn’t rule it out.
When asked if he thought that the houses on the Holly Mount site would sell, given their proximity to ASDA, he believed they would, as these would be ‘low value houses’.
He was asked whether the offer of £10,000 for CCTV was part of the Section 106 agreement for this development. He said it wasn’t since Section 106 had to be a bilateral agreement with the Council and this was a unilateral offer by Hurstwoods who were trying to be proactive by making this as an offer of goodwill. It was, however, conditional on these plans being approved (See next posting).
Finally, he hoped that HORRA would support the planned development, since if the houses were not approved they ‘could revert to using the site as a depot for HGVs, with all the noise and pollution that meant’. He finished by saying that he believed the plans for re-landscaping would actually replant more trees than were removed, that the houses were the best option for the area and that HORRA should support the application.
The representatives for HORRA explained they could not make any decision for the group without consulting all the other members.
As this account shows, the meeting appeared to consist of a series of incentives or warnings designed to gain HORRA’s support for the Housing development. A number of things should be pointed out:
Plans for re-landscaping the area were not done in response to any pressure by HORRA but, according to the Forestry Commission, existed when the original trees were felled. Thus, any promise to carry out the work in response to HORRAs support seems hollow.
Given that Hurstwoods would not plant any trees until ‘the start of the planting season in October’ and that the plans are up for approval on the 12th September, we only have Hurstwoods ‘promise’ that the planting would go ahead once the plans had been approved.
The tree planting is solely around the borders of the site in question, not in the centre, where the majority of the trees were felled. It is difficult to see how they can put back more trees around the edges, than existed across the whole site – And if they do, this runs counter to their ‘thinning policy’ to allow the trees to flourish.
If the houses are not approved, it would be highly unlikely this site is re-used as a HGV depot, since it already has approval for B1 business use and HGVs sharing the access road with ASDA seems equally unlikely.
HORRA will meet in mid-August to discuss Hurstwoods offer and decide whether we will support the development.
A scandal. Hurstwood think that they can do whatever they like in the Valley. They are a menace.
In addition, however Asda got planning permission to construct the new store in Rawtenstall defeats me. The building completely dominates what was once an extremely attractive, characterful town centre. It is awful. How can they get away with it?