Bristol action group 'racist' claims
The owner of Grove Wood, Stapleton – which is at the centre of a long-running row over tree felling – claims some of his critics are racists.
And the self-styled Lord Houshang Jafari has accused Bristol City Council of "bowing to mob pressure" when it slapped a tree preservation order (TPO) on the wood last October.
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Bristol action group 'racist' claims
That order has to be confirmed by the council's development control committee (south and east) on Wednesday.
Mr Jafari, of Hamilton House, Downleaze, has written a letter of objection in which he says there are "errors" in the preservation order and it includes trees that are already dying or dangerous.
He says he was granted permission to fell a number of such trees "scattered throughout the wood" by the council last year.
His letter says: "The council has bowed to irrational and at times racist public pressure and voted to apply a TPO on the very trees which, during the past 10 months, their employees and officials have granted permission to fell.
"This is a gross breach of administrative procedure."
Mr Jafari also accuses critics of conducting "a slanderous campaign", bullying him and preventing him "from free enjoyment of my property".
Council officers have produced a report to tomorrow's meeting in which they deny Mr Jafari's claims of "errors" and injustice.
And Steve Micklewright, of the Snuff Mills Action Group, told the Post: "We are really sad when somebody tries to play the race card when we are motivated by the need to save a very precious woodland for both wildlife and the people of Bristol.Our group is not at all racially motivated and we are very saddened by the attempt to smear us in this way."
Committee chairman Sean Beynon said: "I'm confident that councillors always make decisions at development control committee in good faith based exclusively on sound planning principles.
"It would not be appropriate for me to comment in detail ahead of the meeting, but Mr Jafari's objections will be considered.
"And he or anyone with an interest in the case is free to make a statement to the committee, should they wish to, as long as they give notice by noon today (Tuesday)."
11 Comments
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by Whagwan, Bristol
Wednesday, April 01 2009, 7:53AM
“To "I'm not rascist but the way things are it makes you want to be" Tracey.
You so clearly are.”
by Peter, Redland
Tuesday, March 31 2009, 8:45PM
“That's it is it, the people of Bristol have decided that it is not a case racism. It is rather good we have real courts isn't it.”
by Pjotr, Bristol
Tuesday, March 31 2009, 6:25PM
“Jafari does NOT call the Snuff Mills Action Group racist. He states that some protesters have been racist - such as those who wrote highly racist graffiti on the side of his workman's hut. If you bother to look through the official documentation of this case - readily available on the net - you will see no evidence of him claiming Snuff Mills Action Group is racist, and he only mentions racism in passing. Still, doesn't stop a good headline and people whingeing about him "playing the race card", does it?”
by Wood, Stapleton
Tuesday, March 31 2009, 4:41PM
“This guy pulls out the race card when he knows he is on the back foot. His objection has no substance or foundation. Come on, save the wood!”
by Woodland wanderer, Stapleton
Tuesday, March 31 2009, 4:40PM
“Jafari is clutching at straws. He uses the racism accusation to distract attention from the fact that his objections are without foundation or substance. Come on, save the wood!”
by Tracey, Bristol
Tuesday, March 31 2009, 3:16PM
“"Is it 'cause i's black" I'm not racist but the way things are it makes you want to be!”
by lee, here
Tuesday, March 31 2009, 1:35PM
“Get a life or get out i say to all these people playing the old rascist card”
by Pete, Bristol
Tuesday, March 31 2009, 1:20PM
“I think it would make a nice site for a hotel,there is even a car park on the opposite side of the river so a small rustic bridge could be built to allow access to the hotel.The river could be weired to create a water feature in front of it.Easy access to Bristol and the motorway ,it is the ideal place,also if the hotel fails it could be turned into a Hostel for the Homeless....with all that water and woods it would be a sort of outward bound training establishment !”
by Martin, Clifton.
Tuesday, March 31 2009, 11:52AM
“Claims of racism these days are too easily thrown around like a trump card, and devalue people who are actually racially abused.
As for enjoying his property, he should really be looking after this woodland for his descendants and the people of Bristol.
Ironically at the same time many "environmental" protesters are going en mass by car and bus to protest in London.”
by sham, Bristol
Tuesday, March 31 2009, 10:48AM
“Correct me if Im wrong but wasn't it the land owned by this chap that had a lot of its trees mysteriously felled over a couple of days a few yeasr back - locals found workman just felling trees and no one wa responsible apparently - hmmm”