Inspector is urged to save woodland

Sep 4 2009 by Neil McKay, The Journal

VILLAGERS yesterday urged a government planning inspector to save a “community woodland” threatened by a developer.

Conservatory firm boss Gary Hall wants to build a new factory on land at Watling Woods, Leadgate, near Consett, County Durham. Yesterday planning inspector Nicholas Hammans presided over an appeal by Mr Hall against the now defunct Derwentside District Council to refuse him planning permission on the grounds that the refusal amounted to “unreasonable behaviour” on the part of councillors.

Mr Hall, who employs 24 workers on cramped premises in Blackhill, Consett, told the hearing Derwentside Council officers advised him that the land at Watling Woods – the size of two football fields – was available for development.

But dozens of Leadgate residents who packed the hearing at Consett Civic Centre argued that the trees had been planted by local schoolchildren 15 years ago – supported by TV botanist Dr David Bellamy – and belonged to the community.

Grandmother Ann Foreman, of Watling Street, Leadgate, who gathered a 1,000-name petition against plans to build on the woods, said: “We have no objections to Mr Hall expanding his business.

“There are factories, shops, land within a mile of the wood standing empty and begging to be used by people.

“But Watling Woods is used by the community. I have taken my two year old granddaughter there at 6am looking for the roe deer.

“Schoolchildren from Leadgate planted the trees, they named it Watling Wood. We are destroying this planet by cutting down trees. Please leave our wood alone.”

And biologist Gerry White said the land was used by the deer, by Great Crested Newts and a host of wildlife, as well as by rare orchid “the best I have seen in any wooded area I have visited”. Local councillor Alan Shield added: “This site morally isn’t a brownfield site any longer. It has developed into a greenfield site over the years.”

Mr Hammans said he would announce his decision “before the end of October”.

Mr Hall has also applied to Durham County Council, which took over from Derwentside on April 1 after local government re-organisation, for the costs of the appeal.