A growing group of concerned residents, community members and other citizens are strongly opposed to the recently published consultation by a development company seeking to destroy 70 trees of historic Bournbrook woodland in a bid to create 6 eco-houses. Our understanding is that this is a conservation area protected by a tree preservation order. In the undisturbed woods stretching along Sparrey Drive, just above the Bournbrook river, owls, badgers, foxes, egrets and other birds are regularly sighted and enjoyed by locals and visitors to the area. 

This wooded site at question is located each side of Sparrey Drive, in Bouurnville/Selly Park, adjoining traffic-laden Bond Street and Ribblesdale Road. At the bottom of Sparrey Drive, it is envisaged a community educational hub, attracting thousands of visitors would be built. The configuration of the current road system is not in any way consistent with or capable of assimilating the inevitable acceleration of traffic volume in the area. 

Local resistance is focused on the disruption of an historic woodland area by plans to create an eco development on what is a natural eco-site. Residents, wider community and citizens ask and wonder why glass and wooden houses on stilts should be favored over the preservation and maintenance of an untouched, quiet and quaint woodland. We also question the necessity of felling 70 trees to achieve manufactured ecology.  Anyone who has wandered up Sparrey Drive, day or night, will know the quiet, unique feel of the wooded slope in an otherwise relatively built up local neighborhood. Opposition is also determinedly strong in response to the development group’s accompanying proposal to build a community education hub at the bottom side of Sparrey drive. Reticence to this is two-fold. Firstly, residents and wider citizens comment on the unnecessary building of an additional community hub when there is an existing community centre within a couple of hundred meters of the proposed site. Secondly, very justifiably, local residents are naturally interested in and worried about how the 1000’s of anticipated visitors to the proposed eco-village will park their possibly un-eco friendly cars. 

The consultation document draws reference to the Bournville Lane entrance, which is to the side of the canal and right by the train station. However, the document does not explain how or in what ways this also untouched area of canal side land will be impacted upon. 

Although the consultation document gives some information about the company’s proposals, we believe there is insufficient clarity about how existing eco-systems will be preserved and maintained which must be a primary consideration in light of the wood’s status. There is also scant information on how traffic volume issues may be managed. In summary,  the impact on the quality of daily life to residents, and the disruption of the existing ecological woodland environment that would be brought about by the erection of an eco-village, and it’s 1000’s of visitors, are not viewed positively by locals, wider community members, and citizens further afield. We wish for the quaint untouched woodland to remain a natural ecosystem. We are petitioning to oppose the plans expressed in the company’s consultation document. We strongly believe that we must respond expediently to ensure that proposals do not become plans. We ask you to sign and help preserve the Bournbrook historic woodland.