Yet again a developer has chosen to clear trees from a site at the weekend - just when it's really difficult to get hold of anyone to intervene! (We remember the total destruction of all vegetation on the Mill Lane site not that long ago!)On Saturday morning residents on Gondar Gardens heard the sound of chain saws on the reservoir site and rushed out to investigate . The Chair of the Residents Association complained to the new owners of the site - Linden Homes - who only purchased it a week ago but who had been in contact with the Residents Association and said they wanted to work with local people and would keep them informed as to their plans. So Saturday's tree felling came as a nasty surprise!
For those who do not know - - the site is a now disused and empty reservoir - made redundant by Thames Water a few years ago. It is virtually landlocked - bordered by Gondar Gardens and Hillfield and Agamemnon Roads and its one of the hidden joys of West Hampstead. Thames wanted to put a large development on it but a sturdy defence by local groups persuaded everyone that most of the site should be classified as an Area of Scientific Interest because of its wildlife - many birds and small mammals and especially slowworms (which are an endangered species). So far so good. But a strip near the road was not included and it is here that the tree felling took place yesterday. It is private land so they were legally entitled to proceed, but the trees are now largely gone and with them the habitat for the birds and worst of all - the new owners have demonstrated they are not to be trusted!
We managed to get a Council officer around who confirmed they were within their legal rights but we intend to pursue this vigorously with Camden Planning to make sure that Linden Homes stay within their rights in future and come clean about their plans! Watch this spot!
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