Decision Day

[gness]

Will East Northants Council give approval for Forest Holidays (founded by the dreadful Forestry Commission) to destroy Fineshade Woods by building seventy holiday cabins in this beautiful woodland.

I have known this area since I was fifteen....cour
ting,
birding, walking and picnicking...
MrG and I watched the introduction of Red Kites over many years. When he became too ill to walk easily he once joked....For God's sake...when I die put a bench here in my memory so other poor *** don't have this struggle...
I did....and discovered that the Forestry Commission is the most difficult, rude and nasty organisation to deal with.

So....have I any faith that they will protect this area of rare plants, adders and fascinating birds....and peace?
I guess the destruction will go ahead and I will have a battle to remove my bench from its once quiet little corner.....

Will I be arrested if I uproot it and cart it off myself.....it weighs a ton so I'll need some willing hands......☺

[mccfluff]

i hope they don;t give permission but money over protecting a natural habitat..... depends on the size of the bribe.... not that im cynical or anthing

[Cloverjo]

Sorry, Gness. Very upsetting to read of this. If it's your bench, surely you can take it away. It's a shame to lose places like this.

[gness]

This is the Forestry Commission and Forest Holidays, Fluff.....be as cynical as you like....I am....x

[gness]

My argument will be...it's my bench, Clover....but I have dealt with them before and they are nasty....I don't hold out much hope.

I can see them saying...Take it but we won't allow a van to drive to collect it......and it's too far to carry..... :-(

And anyway..bench aside....we shouldn't lose these places...x

[sunny-dave]

I've been to Fineshade a few times with my birding friends - it will be a travesty if they approve this completely inappropriate development.

I'll help you chain yourself to the tea- bar

Dave xx

[Cloverjo]

I thought the Forestry Commission was meant to protect these places, not sell out to the highest bidder. So sad.

[ummmm]

Forestry commission are a strange bunch. They bought some land of my uncle, planted a rake of trees, and then sold the land back to him at a fraction of the price with the condition that the trees stayed....so uncle made a very healthy profit for doing nothing.

[gness]

Morning, Dave and thank you...I'll bring cake....

It changed didn't it when they got rid of the RSPB...I loved that shop and the people in it....but of course that was the first step in this plan..... the RSPB was too protective of the birds and wildlife.....x

[sunny-dave]

They were privatised, cloverjo - now money is everything and preserving the environment comes a poor second.

[gness]

FC has lost its way, Clover....and Ummmm is far too polite saying strange bunch.....they're a money grabbing danger to our countryside....x

[ummmm]

This was in Ireland. Is it the same forestry commision?

[ummmm]

I mean is the forestry commision the same organization for the whole of the British Isles?

[sunny-dave]

No - the proper name for the Fineshade villains is 'Forest England' - I presume there are other similarly useless variants in the rest of the UK and Eire

[gness]

Not in the Republic, Ummmm.....The Irish FC is a tad easier to deal with.... though their enthusiasm for planting conifers backfired....☺

[gness]

Soon to be known as....De-forest England, Dave?

[McMouse]

I once met a chap who lived in a New Forest village and told him that I frequently visited the area in order to cycle along the numerous forest trails. His immediate comment was "You Grockles ruin the place". I didn't bother to mention how much we visitors spend in pubs, restaurants and B&B's and how this is a vital part of the local economy.

[sunny-dave]

This isn't like that McMouse - it will be an entirely self-contained holiday village bringing no benefit to the local community and just making money for Forest Holidays and therefore Forest England.

The whole thing will ruin a perfect peaceful spot for the sake of making a few quick bucks

[McMouse]

Dave are you saying that a holiday village will not provide local jobs? Surely holiday makers spend money locally. Local suppliers provide services etc.

[gness]

McMouse....there will soon be no trails for us to cycle along in Fineshade..... so you....and people like me will be forced elsewhere for our quiet time in the country....walking, cycling and birding.

And as Dave says, this will be of no benefit to any community at all.....

[shoota]

Are they proposing to build these cabins on the existing caravan site or in 'virgin' woodland?