Woodland Trust welcomes bypass withdrawal
Senior PR officer
The UK's largest woodland conservation charity – the Woodland Trust – has applauded the scrapping of current plans for a controversial road scheme which could destroy dozens of ancient and veteran trees in Norfolk.
The Norwich Western Link relief road, a proposed 3.9-mile dual carriageway, has sparked condemnation from environmental organisations due to its potential impact on natural habitats, including ancient and veteran trees, globally important Wensum chalk river, grasslands, floodplains and ancient woodlands, as well as a rare barbastelle bat super colony.
Norfolk County Council has now announced it has withdrawn its current planning application for the scheme in the face of the opposition by Natural England, local residents, MPs and environmental charities, including the Woodland Trust, but said the road remains a "priority" for the city.
Jack Taylor, the Trust's Woods Under Threat programme lead, welcomed the news of the temporary reprieve, but said the campaign against the disastrous development must continue.
"It's crucial that we keep up the pressure with other environmental organisations and encourage everyone to get behind this campaign," Taylor said. "There is so much at risk – not just locally, but nationally.
"This is one of the biggest cases affecting veteran trees I have come across during my 10 years at the Woodland Trust. We estimate at least 30 veterans are at risk of loss, but potentially up to 90 face some form of harm – each one a vitally important habitat for nature, people and the planet.
"This road would drive a stake straight through the heart of Norfolk's precious natural environment and destroy one of our largest colonies of the incredibly rare barbastelle bat, a creature facing extinction.
"The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, and any further loss of invaluable woodland habitat is completely unacceptable."
The application's withdrawal has thrown a spotlight on the work of the Trust, who fight tirelessly to protect the UK’s ancient woods and ancient and veteran trees.
Taylor added:
"From nudist camps and zombie training facilities to road widening schemes and housing estates, the Trust's Woods Under Threat team has fought every type of planning application you can imagine.
"Hundreds of cases land on our desk every year and they all have one thing in common – the destruction of some of the world’s most rare and fragile habitats – ancient woods and veteran trees."
A spokesman for Norfolk County Council said:
"We have made the difficult decision to withdraw the current planning application and prioritise discussions with the Department for Transport on the way forward for the project.
"The Norwich Western Link remains a priority project for this council."
Notes to editors
About the Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK with more than 500,000 supporters.
With a vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, today the Trust owns and cares for more than 1,000 woodland sites, covering around 33,000 hectares.
The Woodland Trust has three key aims:
- protecting the UK's rare, unique and irreplaceable ancient woodland
- restoring damaged ancient woodland, nurturing precious pieces of our natural heritage back to life
- establishing new native trees and woods to create healthy, resilient landscapes for people and wildlife.
Access to all Woodland Trust woods is free so everyone can experience the physical and mental benefits of trees.