Following on from the excellent news that Broadland District
Council has excluded Thorpe Woods from their plans for future development “on
the grounds of impact on biodiversity” and the “very large number of strong
public objection to development” Socially Conscious Capital’s Rock Fielden has
decided to have a bit of a tantrum.
Despite the fact that his proposals have been clearly rejected by
thousands of local people, Broadland District Council, the Norfolk Wildlife
Trust, RSPB, Norwich Society etc. Rock still insists that his plans to build hundreds of unwanted houses over this County Wildlife Site are still on the table.
In his press release he states:
"Neither the commercial forestry nor the decision by
Broadland District Council over the AAP allocation will prevent us from
continuing to promote this proposal."
Unfortunately for Rock nobody else is at that table and nobody is
interested in what he is continuing to promote.
Commercial Forestry
In his press release he goes on to say that “we will be continuing
commercial forestry…this will centre on 35 acres being thinned/coppiced or
selectively felled and another 12 acres, which will be clear felled”.
Obviously Rock hopes that this will be seen as punishment for him
not getting what he wanted; the truth is that the Friends and Norfolk Wildlife
Trust entirely support the sensible and sensitive management of the woods.
Thinning and coppicing are beneficial to the woods and its wildlife, species
such as White Admiral butterflies will thrive with the opening up of the tree
canopy.
Over the past 2 years Easton College has carried out coppicing and thinning
in Belmore plantation and this has done no harm. As for felling, well under the
Forestry Commission licences anything felled must be replanted.
