Milborne St Andrew villagers’ shock at boundary ‘vandalism’

1:30pm Wednesday 20th February 2013 in News By Harry Hogger

WE’RE ANGRY: Ed Richards, right, with residents WE’RE ANGRY: Ed Richards, right, with residents

VILLAGERS’ joy over the refusal of a planning application in Milborne St Andrew has been short lived after they lost a hedgerow that could date back more than 200 years.

Local residents voiced strong objections when plans for two houses in Chapel Street were put forward last year.

They raised concerns over the potential flood risk posed by the development as well as the impact on neighbouring properties and more than 120 villagers signed a petition opposing the scheme.

Their objections were echoed by councillors at North Dorset District Council as they turned down the application earlier this year.

However, the residents are now upset as they discovered a hedge along the boundary of the development site has been cut down.

Ed Richards, who lives next door to the contentious site, has found a photo dating back to 1904 that shows the hedgerow in place and has raised concerns for wildlife that lived there.

He said: “It’s unclear who has done this and indeed the motive.

“My wife, Caroline, says that the poor sparrows are flitting from the cut hedging left on the garden and trying to return to their nests.

“As a professional ecologist, she is horrified that this has been done and the damage cause to species.”

Mr Richards said that he was told by a local parish councillor had also raised concerns.

Fellow local resident John Blackwood has found an ancient map from 1786 that appears to show the hedgerow running down Chapel Street. He referred to its removal as ‘spiteful vandalism.”

The Chapel Street scheme was refused planning permission by North Dorset District Council’s development management committee on January 29.

Members cited the impact on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and the adverse affect on neighbouring properties as reasons for refusal.

‘Not aware’ of any significance

SCOTT Rawlings, from developers Ankers & Rawlings, said the decision to remove the hedge came from the landowner and the firm was not aware that the hedge had any historical significance.

He said: “Ankers & Rawlings are not the land owner, although we are working to achieve a planning permission on the landowner’s behalf.

“The recent planning application had planning officers’ recommendation to approve although the planning committee refused the application and the garden hedge removal was not one of the reasons for refusal.

“A garden hedge is not protected and I am unaware of any relevant historic worth as otherwise these matters would have formed part of the North Dorset District Council planning committee report.”

Comments(20)

annotator 2 says...
3:34pm Wed 20 Feb 13

The Ecologist employed by Ankers & Rawlings to report on the land stated that the hedge was 'important' and NDDC's Conservation Officer recommended that the hedge should be retained. So how come Scott Rawlings is unaware of its significance?!

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Kerpow says...
4:25pm Wed 20 Feb 13

How malicious of the landowner to do this! I know this hedge, walk by it most days and it’s a great loss to the area – a Conservation Area, I might add.

It’s just greed and spite - greed for trying to cram two huge houses on a small garden plot and spite for doing this as the North Dorset councillors had the good sense to throw out the plan. Sickening.

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Greatsputnik says...
6:30pm Wed 20 Feb 13

As a part owner of the land at MSA I have not enough space to recall all the trials tribulation and cost caused by near neighbours in recent years.I thought that we were a well respected family in the village in bye gone years but obviously not by the newcomers from far afield. The hedge is our property and we can do what we like with it. Mr Hogger come and interview me and I can tell you more about what has been going on behind the scenes including trying to grab land belonging to my family which is ours and agreed by a Land Registry tribunal. Your report is very much biased and hurtful as not once have you thought to ask my family for our side of the story.

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Greatsputnik says...
6:46pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Just a further observation one of the complaints from the neighbours was the loss of light to their cottages after building has taken place.As the hedge was completely overgrown we have helped the situation objectively by removing it,so there we go.

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The obscure says...
8:47pm Wed 20 Feb 13

People are ripping up hedges everywhere nowadays. Every house that had a hedge seems to have removed it so that they can park their car off road. Even my own brother has done it. I think it looks awful and gives no privacy at all. Shame. I'm all for hedges and trees being preserved, laid and planted.
As for this story, there are 2 sides and I should very much like to hear it.

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annotator 2 says...
12:06pm Thu 21 Feb 13

"It's our hedge and we can do what we like with it". Typical arrogance from these people who sold off their mother's house and have been hawking her garden around to the highest bidder for the last seven years purely for profit. Grubbing out the hedge makes no difference to the neighbours' light; two huge houses and garages certainly would. Who are these new comers? Adjacent properties have been owed for years. If these hawkers looked at their deeds they would find that they cannot do"what they like". Their mother was respected, they certainly are not.

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Greatsputnik says...
3:29pm Thu 21 Feb 13

Anotator 2 thank you for your kind comments on the"hedge" at MSA. They are absolutely true, but,unfortunately I do not agree with them. I reckon your comments are ill advised of which we have been used to over the last few years,nothing changes when you are up against Barrack Room Lawyers. I rest my case .Mr Hogger I am waiting to here from you to tell you the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.Who are these persons who are running my family down,come out into the open and name yourselves So I know who you are. Not old Milborne people who I was brought up with I bet.

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Nuts n bolts says...
5:16pm Thu 21 Feb 13

I've lived in Milborne for many years and what theyve done is just awful - and the landowners comments seem to back up what people in the village are saying 'why have they done this, its so spiteful, theyre bad losers'. Don't they realise they have destroyed a wildlife haven and spoilt Chapel Street for many people, all to get up some people's noses, despicable. no surprise they live nowhere near Milborne is it?

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milliecat1 says...
7:11pm Thu 21 Feb 13

What an unpleasant character the garden owner sounds. Probably ripped out the hedge for fun. You cant build on gardens can you?

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milliecat1 says...
7:53pm Thu 21 Feb 13

What an unpleasant character the garden owner sounds. Probably ripped out the hedge for fun. You cant build on gardens can you?

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Howlin Wolf says...
12:52pm Fri 22 Feb 13

I saw the hedge only this week. It was sat outside Weymouth train station with a can of strong lager and smelled of wee.

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banknote says...
3:03pm Fri 22 Feb 13

Howlin Wolf wrote:
I saw the hedge only this week. It was sat outside Weymouth train station with a can of strong lager and smelled of wee.
Totally stupid comment.

How does that help the debate?

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EKAMSA says...
6:27pm Fri 22 Feb 13

I have lived in the Village for many years and knew Greatsputnik's mother who was a lovely lady. She loved Milborne and I am sure she she would have been horrified to see what her family have done to her lovely hedge. This was a deliberate malicious action done out of pure spite because they didn't get their own way. They have already made money from the sale of their mother's house and are just being greedy trying to sell the land separately. I would like to think my family would treat my legacy with more respect when I'm gone!

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vegpatchgal says...
9:41am Mon 25 Feb 13

The way I see it, Mr Sputnik, respect is something that is earned - you don't just automatically inherit it from your forebears. What a dreadful thing to do to rip out an ancient hedge just because it is yours to "do what you like with"! No wonder you are so dreadfully unpopular with your neighbours! Environmental destruction, garden grabbing, greed, arrogance... Glad you don't live in my neighbourhood I must say!

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Greatsputnik says...
10:21am Mon 25 Feb 13

Hi,vegpatchgal,thank
s for your kind comments. I wish you new all the devious and vehement dirty deeds of one particular neighbour who,I cannot name. If you are not that certain person, I think you would have to withdraw your remarks about myself and my immediate family and apologise. Above all I know that I am a most pleasant person and reject your remarks about me as any of my lifelong friends in the village will vouch for and agree. As there are two sides to every story no doubt there is very much another in this particular issue. I am glad I do not reside in the village when there are people like you there.

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Islandjim says...
12:45pm Mon 25 Feb 13

Greatsputnik wrote:
As a part owner of the land at MSA I have not enough space to recall all the trials tribulation and cost caused by near neighbours in recent years.I thought that we were a well respected family in the village in bye gone years but obviously not by the newcomers from far afield. The hedge is our property and we can do what we like with it. Mr Hogger come and interview me and I can tell you more about what has been going on behind the scenes including trying to grab land belonging to my family which is ours and agreed by a Land Registry tribunal. Your report is very much biased and hurtful as not once have you thought to ask my family for our side of the story.
Unfortunately "The hedgerow is our property and we can do what we like with it" could be a costly mistake, because its not true. Hedgerows are covered under the Hedgerows Regulations 1997 and planning permission is required to remove them. I would sack off Scott Rawlings, as a developer he should have advised you to this. There are also boundary treatment, ecology and landscape character issues involved as its in a conservation area and the Dorset Area of Outstanding natural beauty.

http://www.planningp
ortal.gov.uk/uploads
/appPDF/F1230Form021
_england_en.pdf

The link is to the relevant planning form, if i were you i get ready for a visit from the planning enforcement team!

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cj07589 says...
3:00pm Mon 25 Feb 13

Greatsputnik wrote:
Just a further observation one of the complaints from the neighbours was the loss of light to their cottages after building has taken place.As the hedge was completely overgrown we have helped the situation objectively by removing it,so there we go.
I bet the now homeless local wild life disagree with that point of view. A simple courtesy letter to the affected parties would had been a far more diplomatic way of approaching this. When I wanted to cut a tree down in my back garden despite having all the relevant consents and approvals in place I still took the time to speak to each neighbour before it went ahead. The art of communication and working within the community framework seems to be lost these days what a shame! The lawyers must be laughing all the way to the bank, I feel sorry for the poor displaced nesting birds what a inconsiderate, disrespectful and regrettable outcome no wonder the neighbours are annoyed.

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annotator 2 says...
10:10am Tue 26 Feb 13

Keep on commenting Mr Sputnik, you are re-inforcing your persona as an arrogant vandal every time you post. Sputty keeps yammering on about "two sides to this". No their isn't. It is a straightforward case of greed, garden grabbing and disrespect to their mother. Sputnik knows that the neighbours have offered time and again to talk to these people, but they do not operate by normal civilised rules. The neighbours have to defend their rights against what would be seen by many people as straightforward bullying.

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dontbuyit says...
9:00pm Tue 26 Feb 13

So, sputnik, you say ' Above all I know that I am a most pleasant person and reject your remarks about me as any of my lifelong friends in the village will vouch for and agree'.
Well come on lifelong friends let's hear you vouch for him. As we keep hearing there are 2 sides to this story except your lifelong friend doesn't actually tell us the facts, just the emotions of a bruised ego. And yes there are planning laws concerning the removal of hedges and I hope they hit him hard for his spiteful behavior. You may have been able to cut down hedges at will when Sputnik was launched last century but not any more.

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lonestar1 says...
10:44pm Tue 26 Feb 13

"A very pleasant person" does not rip out ancient hedges and damage wildlife for no good reason. Just see yourself as others see you, obsolete old Sputnik

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