TREES chopped down at a local beauty spot have been compared to something akin to Lord of the Rings according to a local councillor.
Two weeks ago, The Wokingham Paper reported that Wokingham Borough Council had undertaken preparatory works for a new park and ride to be built alongside the River Thames. It will act as a feeder for a controversial new single track bus lane bridge that Reading Borough Council will build over the historic Kennetmouth.
Campaigners have been fighting the plans, saying that the work the council has done has been carried out without the appropriate ecological reports being undertaken.
On Saturday, Labour councillor Andy Croy, who represents Bulmershe and Whitegates ward, joined Earley Town Council councillor Sheena Matthews to see the damage for himself.
A large number of trees and bushes have been removed from the area, which is just to the left of the roundabout on the way into Thames Valley Park from the A3290. Wokingham Borough Council said that it involved a “small number of trees” and was simply clearing vegetation.
However, Cllr Croy compared the removal to JRR Tolkien’s fantasy land.
“It’s absolute devastation, what was once a green corridor is gone. This isn’t a cutback, it’s been absolutely flattened. It looks like Sauron or something from Lord of the Rings,” he said.
“Residents are furious. They have contacted me about this, which is why I’ve come down today.
“If this is how they’re going to go about trying to progress the scheme … it’s the best possible way to alienate local residents.”
He also expressed concerns over the ecological survey, saying that the exact status of the species living there needed to be finalised.
“Until we’re certain about that, they shouldn’t be doing anything.”
Cllr Matthews from Earley Town Council said that it had voted against the scheme, while Woodley and Reading were in favour of it.
“Looking at this devastation, Earley was right,” she said. “The plans [for the park and ride] won’t relieve traffic congestion in Earley or London Road into Reading.
“This is just environmental vandalism.”
As we reported two weeks ago, Cllr Simon Weeks, executive member for planning and enforcement at Wokingham Borough Council, said: “While it’s true the site does not have planning permission for a new park and ride, clearing vegetation doesn’t constitute development requiring planning permission.
“This work, which includes a small number of trees, is being carried out in accordance with independent ecological and arboriculture reports designed to safeguard protected species. The site itself has no protected status in terms of ecology, nor is it subject to a tree preservation order.”
