Residents in uproar over bulldozed field

By [rstokes] keri sutherland k.sutherland

Householders living in south Bristol are angry after bulldozers moved onto land which they say is a haven for wildlife.

Police have been called at least twice to the land in Ashton Vale in response to "tensions" at the site, which is owned by Bristol City chairman Steve Lansdown in partnership with developer JT Group.

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Residents in nearby Ashton Drive and Silbury Road said they feared the bulldozers were clearing the land for work to start on a new 30,000-seat stadium for Bristol City.

But Mr Lansdown said the work had nothing to do with the planned stadium – and Bristol City chief executive Colin Sexstone stressed no work would be done in relation to the new ground until planning permission had been secured.

Residents contacted Bristol City Council after workmen moved onto the land – a designated site of Nature Conservation Interest – a week ago.

Householders say the field behind Ashton Drive is home to a host of wildlife including deer and the threatened bird, the reed bunting.

They also say endangered peregrine falcons from the Avon Gorge feed on the land alongside kestrels, hawks, ducks, and bats.

Michael Peters, 62, who lives in Ashton Drive, said: "They're tearing up 12-foot trees which have been here for years."

Former lorry driver David Garratt, 73, who lives in nearby Silbury Road, said: "I came from Southville because of this lovely greenbelt and now it's being torn up."

Sharon Bennett, 33, of Ashton Drive said: "The council came along to take a look at what is being done. They said that it's a natural habitat housing a lot of protected species including heron, deer, foxes, newts, bats and otters.

"This natural habitat has been with this community for generations. My dad, who is 74, used to play on it when he was a kid. Now my son Adam uses it too."

Retired maintenance worker Barry Nicholls, 67, said: "We've been here 45 years and it took them 45 minutes to destroy everything."

A city council spokesman said the authority was investigating a possible breach of wildlife protection laws, including the Conservation Regulations 1992 Act, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the Countryside and the Rights of Way Act 2000 and the Hedgerow Regulations 1997.

After council officers visited the site work was stopped.

A spokesman from Avon and Somerset police confirmed officers were called to an incident at Ashton Drive at 9.20am yesterday. And on Wednesday police were also called.

Ashton Vale community officer PC Paul Singfield told the Evening Post: "We were called down here because of the low-level tension between residents and the people bulldozing."

Mr Lansdown insisted the work was not connected to Bristol City's planned new stadium.

He said: "The surrounding site will be developed for the football stadium – there's no getting away from that. But not that field.

"What we're doing is clearing ditches for grazing purposes for a local farmer and to prevent flooding. That work has been going on over the years.

"Someone has jumped the gun in this case. It's all poppycock.

"If there is to be any development on the land there will be a proper consultation.

"There's been nothing untoward that has gone on. We're just trying to keep the land in a good state of repair."

Bristol City Group Chief Executive Colin Sexstone said: "There'll be no work started on the stadium until we've received planning permission – and that'll be the beginning of 2010 at the very earliest."

JT Group spokesman Paul Sexton said environmental work was taking place to help them understand the site but work in the past week was completely separate from that.

Council spokesman Simon Caplan said: "The city council has received several complaints from residents about clearance work at the rear of Ashton Drive in Ashton Vale. The site is currently designated as one of Nature Conservation Interest and is, therefore, covered by different conservation regulations.

"Work on the site that might disturb protected wildlife habitats would require a number of permissions and licences before being able to proceed. Our nature conservation and tree preservation officers are investigating the complaints and considering whether any breach of legislation may have taken place.

"We are in touch with the owners of the site and have asked them to cease work for the time being."