TILEHURST residents say they fear wildlife and trees are at risk after contractors have ‘broken through’ their makeshift protest.
The residents are worried animals, protected species and trees could be put at risk in the wooded area near the Tilehurst Allotments, as two pieces of land surrounding them could have 80 homes built on them.
The land is owned the Tilehurst Poor’s Land Charity (TPLC), which has hired a contractor to conduct surveyance work.
Until now, activists have been blocking the only vehicular access to the sites by parking their cars at the end of the car park for the allotments in Armour Hill.
But on Friday, September 23, one of the campaigners said the contractors have been able to pass the blockade and establish a portable building where work is due to take place.
Nearby neighbour Deborah Dadd, 50, said: “At the moment what we’re doing is blocking the contractors accessing the car park. There’s probably 110 of us.
“Each person takes their turn to park their car, which is blocking heavy vehicle access to the site.
“But today there was only one car parked there, and they’ve managed to break through.”
Mrs Dadd fears that surveyance could prompt possible land clearance work and is concerned that any works would endanger animals living in the woodland.
The neighbour cited a Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre survey which states badgers, muntjac deer, foxes, slow worms and red kites are in the woodland between Armour Hill and Kentwood Hill.
“We want to speak to the ecologist for the project, because there are 32 species in these woods, six or seven of them are protected,” Mrs Dadd said. “They could not pretend that they don’t know what’s there.”
She wants TPLC to negotiate with activists ensure that wildlife is protected.
“We just want them to meet us or talk. They know how to contact us, we want to get them to the table,” she said.
Mrs Dadd is an allotment plot holder and a member of the Keep Kentwood Green campaign, which has an online petition with 608 signatures calling on TPLC to not sell the land and protect it from development.
However, the two pieces of land could have a total of 80 new homes built on them according to the Reading Local Plan, with 41-62 homes envisaged at Kentwood Hill (policy WR3s) and 12-18 homes at Armour Hill (WR3t).
TPLC sent out a letter on Wednesday, September 21, informing allotment plot holders that site work will begin on Monday, September 26.
“The works include limited cutting back of scrub and brambles so that a range of essential investigations and surveys can be conducted, including the identification of tree species and an ecology study,” the letter said.
The work will take place over three weeks, with further details on a consultation website hosted by Chaneys Chartered Surveyors & Property Managers.
Further works, outside the survey, have not been confirmed by TPLC. Contractor Aspect Arboricultural, which has accessed the site, has not responded to a request to comment.
Trees on the site have been protected by a blanket Tree Preservation Order (TPO). Although TPLC and Aspect Arboricultural objected to the TPO, it was confirmed at a council planning meeting on June 22.
