Shropshire landowner withdraws plans to remove hedges
Plans by a Shropshire landowner to remove over seven miles of hedges at Marrington Cottages Farm, near Chirbury in Shropshire have been withdrawn.
The plans had been submitted to Shropshire Council by Fraser Jones who said it would allow him to use larger machinery.
Mr Jones asked for permission to remove 64 hedgerows on the farm, totalling over 11,000m in length. Although he said he did not intend to remove all the hedges but it was easier to make just one application.
In response to interest in the case, Local Member for Chirbury and Worthen, Councillor Heather Kidd, arranged a public meeting to discuss the Hedgerow Removal Notice.
Both the CPRE and The Wildlife Trusts, nationally and in Shropshire, also voiced their opposition to the proposal. They were concerned that proposal could be a worrying sign of increasing pressure on the farmed environment and its wildlife.
Councillor Kidd said:
“This is tremendous news that will be welcome for the hundreds of people, both local residents and others from further afield, who objected to the Notice. We all know the importance that a strong network of well-managed hedgerows has for the landscape and wildlife of Shropshire.”
Councillor Malcolm Price, Cabinet Member with responsibilities for Conservation at Shropshire Council said:
“I am delighted that common sense has prevailed in this case and the owner has decided to withdraw the current application. Although the Council understands that it was not their intention to remove all of the hedgerows included on the Notice, it created a worrying precedent as it stood and appeared to fly in the face of established good agricultural and environmental practice.”
