National gas company SGN has explained why it cleared vegetation on the Isle of Wight coast – but has failed to acknowledge it was protected and shouldn’t have been touched without permission.
Last week Islanders were shocked when work on Egypt and Princes’ Esplanade, bordering Cowes and Gurnard, ‘absolutely obliterated’ greenery opposite the Solent.
The work has since stopped after the Isle of Wight Council got involved, but it was too late for the protected woodland.
The site is a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation and has a Tree Preservation Order which means permission needed to be obtained to clear any of the site. Local ward councillor, Paul Fuller, confirmed no permission was sought and branded those behind it ‘irresponsible’.
SGN, which owns part of the land, has said the site was assessed by its expert ecologist before work commenced and they worked within the guidance they provided.
Waseem Hanif, an SGN spokesperson, said they had conducted a vegetation clearance to the lower part of their site for safety reasons. He said the site was very overgrown, concealing trip hazards, uneven terrain and hidden pits:
“As a responsible landowner we have a duty of care to ensure site safety by protecting anyone walking through our land or working at the site.
“The intention for this clearance is to allow us to fully assess the lower part of our site.
Article continues below this advertisement “No trees have been removed and the woodland areas in our wider site have not been disturbed.”
The company did not wish to comment on the fact it cleared woodland without permission.
It said once the work is completed a ‘suitable wooden fence’, in line with the local aesthetic, would be placed around the site to help identify the boundary and ‘protect woodland area’.
SGN said it is talking to the council regarding the work which has taken place but had nothing further to add to its statement.
However, the other site landowner Rosalind Murray, who owns up to the Gurnard sign, has slammed the company for ‘vandalising her property’ which her family has owned for 36 years.
SGN has said it is in direct contact with Ms Murray about the work.
Like the “expert” RedFunnel”got to look at The Unbrella trees? How much did Sgn pay their expert? Dud he or she ignore researching into Tpo orders on the trees? Following the Brown envelope trail!.
You are absolutely right!
This unnamed so-called ‘expert’ ecologist needs to be identified and an explanation demanded from them as to the nature of their investigation and the conclusion that the site could be cleared irrespective of local orders if a ‘suitable wooden fence’ would have sufficed.
Waseem Hanif’s claim that SGN are a ‘responsible land owner’ is insulting blagging for which they will hopefully pay (and dearly), a responsible land owner would have properly researched the nature (and actual ownership) of the land before starting work!
So all the waffle about trespass was rubbish !!!!
Not much of a local expert if they didn’t bother to check what they were allowed to do. SGN didn’t even know what belonged to them either
Yes, We had EXPERTS check the trees next to our house when they cleared the site to build.
We had nests and broken eggs on the ground afterwards; we were told unless we could capture the bird on the nest as it was cut down then nothing could be done!!
Its a paper exercise and they are not to be trusted.
What construction people, developers and now it seems the SGN want they take, with OR without permission.
BECAUSE THEY CAN.
And they can because we live in what has become a corporate democracy not a Peoples democracy. Corporations effectively rule.
Me thinks the ‘expert’ should be getting his P45 any day soon
Trip hazards, uneven terrain and hidden pits:
Exactly as they left it many years ago and to my knowlege no one has been injured on the site from when they installed the Gas Main right upto now.
Very lame excuses dreampt up in a hurry!
Sgn state ‘anyone walking through our land ‘ ,it wasn’t their land !! Duh !
It just appears to be another company that doesn’t know what laws apply to the land they own.
Mind you, it could be the case that they knew and didn’t let their expert know, but of course, we will never know the truth.
So what are the council now going to do about it?
Good job.stop all the local druggies growing their weed down there in the summer thank you sign.