Policy RP5

The unapproved developments breach Policy RP5, as it has directly and indirectly lead to large scale loss of trees, damage to the ancient forest woodland canopy; loss of groups of mature broadleaf trees at all stages of development and re-generation; loss of  individual native trees which were part of the ancient woodland character of the land. There has been loss of ground cover throughout the site, with negative impact on the future bio-diversity which was dependent on the previously undisturbed nature of the woodland.

This paragraph above was written in a letter from Janis Neil to the planning authority in respect of the application for structures on our grounds. Let’s take it apart.

1.    The unapproved developments – not unapproved just pending planning approval. Quite a difference.

2.  Directly and indirectly led to large scale loss of trees. Well one might imagine there must have been mass tree felling on the site.  Whilst there has been tree removal, none of this tree removal has any association, directly or indirectly, with the structures in the planning application. Tree removals have been carried out by Scottish Power and a few more by myself, with permission, for trees being suppressed by a neighbouring tree or for very poor tree specimens or for non native specimens (Cypress). I intend to apply for 2 more trees to be felled, a very poor cherry tree which only has top growth and has been strangled with ivy and damaged by deer plus a spindly ash. I have planted in excess of 30 replacement trees, all native. It has been a joy to plant them and it will be a joy to see them grow and develop. There has not been large scale loss of trees.

3.  Damage to ancient forest woodland canopy. As my school teacher might have said if I had written this in a scientific appraisal – explain and justify your statement!

4.  Loss of groups of mature broadleaf trees at all stages of development – well is this confused? Mature but at all stages? I’m not sure what the writer is trying to say. Suffice to say that no “group” of trees of any size have been removed at all. The writer is making this up.

5.  ....and re-generation – The regeneration of trees is from self seeded opportunity which will take years to develop. My intervention on the ground probably affected a number of self seeding opportunities and as such I affected the biological natural process that would take place on a derelict site. Read up on managed woodland versus non managed and form your own opinion.

6.       Loss of individual native trees – same again really.

7.       Loss of ground cover – well the ground cover is mainly ground elder and I defy anyone to bring about the loss of ground elder. In some area that were trampled last year for the management of the trees there has been a year where the ground cover was partially covered with soil and leaf mould but I assure you, the root system is still there. There is a lot of bramble, that has been cut back to help the young trees thrive better. Again, the roots are still there. Nettles- the same, Herb species – the same.

8.  Negative impact on the future biodiversity which was dependent on the previously undisturbed nature of the woodland – well this lack of disturbance dependency was originally stated in my own woodland management report which states that the “woodland is relatively undisturbed” and that it is “undisturbed due to the steepness of the bank”. These statements continue to ring true. But then it’s easy to pick out words from a report and then throw in that biodiversity word – it used to be called an ecosystem in my day. As to its future biodiversity, it has been enhanced through management, and the stock and range of native planting has increased biodiversity. You should see the ladybirds this year – masses of them.

So what should one make of a statement on a planning site which is damming and inaccurate? Ignore it? Try to correct it? Well there were 3 more pages of similar stuff and I have a life so the latter is a no-no. I have made my correction to this one part only as an example and I invite the writer to examine her conscience.

Today we should get sight of the planning report for our structures and because I have faith in the professionals at the planning department, I am writing this to say now that I will abide by whatever the report recommends. Its 0945 hrs on April 6^th and as yet the report is not on line.

But the report is only that – a report.  Any other application I have seen for external garden structures would be dealt with by delegated powers i.e. the planning department would write a brief report and make a decision on their own. But not this application. This one is going to committee next week on April 12^th where 18 councillors can sit in judgement and can over-rule the planning report recommendation, either way. I know they have each been individually lobbied by the person who wrote the paragraph I have explored above. I met one of the 18 local councillors last week at a political hustings event, Mr Peter Boyes; I held out my hand and said “good evening I’m Susan Goldwyre from the community council, we haven’t met before and welcome to the hustings” He ignored me completely and clearly with intent to ignore me. Does that make you wonder why I might have concerns for my woodland and this planning application. Is Mr Boyes impartial I wonder?

I have a choice though. Because the planning application has taken so long to be assessed I can move to appeal for non-determination. That will take the application to the Scottish Office. For a replacement storage area/sitting out structure, a replacement fence, path widening and steps cut into the bank. What a potential waste of public money.

 I never got round to posting the Red Cross Ball report but we did raise £2,000 for the first dinner event and then £1,800 for a second dinner. The painting I think raised £650. We donated a dinner and a painting to the CF Ball last week but still to hear what they raised. If only letter writing raised money what a rich world we could live in. And I use the term rich in its widest possible sense.

I'm off to my garden.........

Susan

April 1st

I have just been so busy in the garden lately to blog anything and I am feeling guilty. The weather has been dry and cool and just perfect for working. Gerry has become a log lover and I think he may have developed a manic attraction to collecting felled wood. There’s a lot around because of the bad winter and almost every day we get a phone call asking if we want some wood.  Our good friend Colin is able to use a chain saw and although I get to try it out he won’t let me use it for any length of time. Jo suggested going on a course to learn the basics. The course lasts for 5 days and G and I are both going to go. Watch out everyone – I may be blogging my tree trunk sculptures this time next year.

One pile of wood that we collected was pole stage trees that had been cut down in Midlothian. I could see Colin’s despair at the prospect of cutting up such insignificant pieces. What to do then? Well the edges of a slab path don’t look that pretty in the garden and a pile of pole stage trees against the edges have transformed a short path section into something quite magical. Interspersed with Cedar of Lebanon branches; spiky green with lovely round cones, it all looks very woodland wonderland with my copse of Silver Birch and Rowan beginning to come into bud. Plus the profusion of daffodils that seem to be enjoying the extra light in the area this year. The tree stumps from the Scottish Power cut are regenerating with tall twiggy growth. It’s mainly Elm which should look wonderful once it comes into full leaf.

I’m thinking of a Pampas Grass hedge somewhere. On the TV programme May The Best House Win, we visited one house with Pampas Grass. I checked out the internet and found this interesting snippet from a couple who moved from London to Herefordshire

Pampas grass in your front garden is a sign that you are swingers

It was at a dinner in aid of the Docklow Church repair fund, oddly enough, that a woman asked me if I'd be prepared to throw my car keys into the middle of the table. "You know what we're like in the country," she said, with a glint in her eye. "Anything for a bit of excitement." She was joking, of course, but in the subsequent conversation about wife-swapping, someone said that clumps of pampas grass in front of a house indicate that the residents are prepared to swing. However, this begs more questions than it answers. What if you happen to buy a house with pampas grass already at the front? And more alarmingly, what happens if your pampas grass is, as ours is, at the back?

Check it out for yourself – put “pampas grass swingers” into an internet search.

What else is happening at water tower wood? Well the tennis club strip has been re vamped and planted out with around 100 small plants – blackthorn, hazel, holly, rowan plus 30 evergreen Berberis plants. Wild flower seed was then scattered on the open ground. I think it will look stunning this year.

I continue to work in the run-off area and use it as a form of physical exercise. The loose soil from years of leaf mould is so good I’m collecting small bucketfuls at a time and using it to nourish the borders next to the tennis courts. The soil in the borders is very poor because of the blaze that has washed into the ground in the past. It’s really hard work but the run off area will benefit when I am able to scatter ivy cuttings and plant more in this area. To date anything I have planted has washed down hill. I’m still not on really solid ground yet but it’s getting there. I am almost able to reach one of the areas of rhododendron ponticum but not quite. I see snowberry in this area as well which was noted in the woodland plan, although not for removal as per the roddodendron. It’s not native but it is very pretty and I think the birds appreciate the berries so I think I’ll leave well alone. The woodland is not classic native anyway – apparently Sycamore isn’t native to Scotland and I have a fair few Sycamore trees.

Have surveyed the 500 understorey plant tubes which were planted in 2006. Many are growing well but I have collected about 30 empty tubes and am led to believe this is a typical non take-up rate. In fact there might be more but I can't reach some of them. The empty tubes are in the store for now and if anyone is looking for some protective tubes, come and get them. I can't use them all and they take up space.

Started to re site my bamboo this last week as well. Its remarkably easy to lift and re plant bamboo. The stems are so strong you can pull as hard as you like and they don't break. I'm moving my bamboo out of the more woodland areas and into the garden areas where it is a help to screen the tennis club fence.

Have planted Rhubarb and Strawberries this week. I had Rhubarb already but not enough for Gerry's crumble. Ask Colin - he is on the search for the Rhubarb in his pudding. Just as well this was not on the menu for the Hustings (tonight at Westfield Hall 7pm). I wonder if rhubarb would grow well on the slope? it would make a nice green and red vista if the deer and the rabbits didn't get to it first. I can envisage the competition for the fresh green and pink stalks and who knows, I might turn over the biodynamics of the slope. What about glass cloches over the rhubarb to protect them. The glass might glisten in the sun and light up the slope. I could make rhubarb gin maybe? and invite Jack Nicholson - Batman 1989 - "Never Rub Another Mans Rhubarb"............

Planning Application? still pending! the council forgot to do the neighbourhood notifications and now the application - which was lodged late Dec 2010, will not be heard until April 12th. Could have moved to appeal for non determination within the alloted time frame but to what end. I just wish the council were more efficient since it did provide another 5 week window for complainers.

So from Pampas Grass and Rhubarb I wish you a happy April 1st.

Midlothian Advertiser

Oh my goodness, once again Gerry appears in the local newspaper which has re published an article from 15 years ago in its look-back section this week. It reports on an article at the time when an application was made for a 26 seater restaurant and a new house. The article ran with the objection of the then Dalkeith and District Community Council, that this application was "taste-less" being right next door to a cemetery. The wonders of the press. We have the original article and it has been correctly quoted some 15 years later. But what was applied for 15 years previously? well the press article is economical with the detail.

An application was lodged for the inclusion of dining facilites in the cemetery lodge cottage showing a potential layout and a proposed change of use. The number of seats could be as many as 26 if all rooms could be utilised to their full potential. To make a change of use would mean that the cottage would no longer be residential and that was never the desire and therefore this application was withdrawn almost as quickly as it was proposed. Permission was very soon after given to operate the cottage as a dining facility on an limited basis; 1 table for 12 people operating 3 days per week with no change of use. This is what was implemented and it is still running today. I wonder how many other small businesses are in operation some 15 years later. Well done G.

But what about the house? wasn't that going to be a new house for a 26 seater restaurant I hear you ask?

Well  in 1995/96 we applied in outline only, for a house in the garden ground opposite the cottage and tower. This was an application for a possible home for my mother since we were keen to have her live close by. She died 6 years ago now and her final years were in a house in Ironmills Road that was just perfect for her. I think she didn't really want to be too close to Gerry and I for fear that she would invade our privacy. However, being so close by in Ironmills, she was a regular visitor to our house and was pretty adept at peeling tatties and concasse of tomato. She loved the tower and all the activity and nonsense (mainly from Gerry - why does that not surprise you?)

Just to prove I am not making up this up to distract from the newspaper story, I blogged something last year when I had no reason to know that a local newspaper would re run a story that might send the current batch of complainers to say "I told you so". Since some are convinced that our new house is in fact a restaurant in disguise. Actually - what a good idea, maybe we should re apply now and that would save Gerry teetering across the road with armfuls of crockery; one of the many bizarre statements on the planning system regarding objections to a fence, a store/sitting out area, steps and path widening.

Extract From Last Year

A wooden house in a woodland. The Planning Story.
When we bought a water tower my mum was living on her own in Moredun. What about living next door to us in the cottage? we asked, but she declined. Maybe it was just as well. But as time progressed we thought about building on the site of the cottage drying green and submitted a tentative outline application in 1996 as a possible home for my mum. Not enough detail and insufficient space to build, came back the reply along with the usual host of policy references.

Small Woods Association

I used to be a member of the small woods association but my membership has lapsed. I might re join. I checked out their web site and found some interesting snippets of information for anyone considering buying a woodland. I am wondering if we over paid for the woodland we purchased since the price per acre quoted for woods for sale now seems a lot less than we originally paid. Probably a bit late to get a refund but who knows, if you don’t ask you don’t get.

The Small Woods Association. from the small woods assoc web site

Studies show that managed woodlands (those that are not allowed to decay) are better for wildlife and biodiversity, as well as for the timber and woodland products they 'grow'.

The future of woodlands relies on effective management, just as a garden needs constant maintenance and care to thrive. Trees must be thinned to grow well and invasive species like bramble have to be managed so that they don't dominate other plants.

Woodlands that have a reason to be managed, perhaps for timber, firewood, access or green woodworking, are more likely to be receive love and attention long into the future, and indeed those woodlands that we have today have survived precisely because they have had an economic value to the local community-

 Planning permission from the small woods assoc web site

Quite rightly, the authorities regulate activities and the building of structures in woodlands quite strictly (if they didn't every woodland would hold a mansion and woodland prices would shoot through the roof!), and the chances of you getting permission to build a house in your woodland are remote.  Occasionally individual woodland workers (such as Ben Law) have succeeded but only after a long battle.

As the law stands you are entitled to erect a small shed in your woodland (permitted development) as long as it is used exclusively for forestry purposes (tool storage etc) and not for regular overnight stays, recreation equipment storage or barbeques.

Water Tower Wood and the EAS

It is clear to Gerry and I, that the local amenity society (EAS) have concerns about our planning application at water tower wood. The application is for the erection of a replacement wood store/ sitting out area, a replacement fence with bin store, the broadening of a small area of path plus some steps cut into the bank to gain access to plant trees. Because these “structures” are in the conservation area they require planning permission and cannot be sanctioned under permitted development. If you live in a conservation area – the same applies to you. The concerns being raised by the EAS appear to us to be totally out of proportion with what is being applied for and the society appears to have lost sight of the planning issues. The notices of protection are part of the feu conditions and these are not planning conditions. The feu conditions are however being complied with and really, the spread of bark chips after a building project and in an area of woodland destined for planting, is really clutching at straws as an example of woodland destruction or was that being quoted as an example of "formal landscaping"? Should anyone like to discuss this topic please get in touch. We invite anyone with any concern at all to come along to water tower wood to see it for yourself. The Green Party did this recently and it was very helpful. Here is an extract from their correspondence.

...... visited the eco house and land at the invitation of the Goldwyres yesterday. I am satisfied that the work carried out was done sensitively, with sustainability in mind and with all the correct permissions - apart from some residual work requiring retrospective planning permission.

I asked them about the trees, and I've been shown evidence that this work was done with permission from Midlothian Council, and it was done with advice from specialists in that field, designed to allow light through to allow undergrowth to thrive. The planting of new trees and various plants is in keeping with the terrain and designed to reduce erosion on the bank, and I saw no reason to object to how they had gone about it. The woodwork of the eco house and some fencing is a bit brighter than the surrounding natural shades, but I was told that will darken with weathering (I was shown an example of the eventual shade, which will be much more in keeping with the surrounding).
In the light of this, and having withdrawn our objection, I am inclined to take no further action. If anyone disagrees, I suggest they go along and take a look for themselves - the Goldwyres have intimated that they would welcome anyone from the party who wants to visit.

Call on 660 4865 to arrange a date/time if you would like to do the same as the Green Party.

 

Tree Removal Permission

I just came across this photograph of a letter from the results of a Freedom of Information request made by us last year. Not only does it document the approval of tree removals, the last paragraph states that the new building location complied with the approved plans. For all the people who have been told otherwise, this may help.
The FOI revealed many interesting communications to Midlothian Council from e mails and letters regarding the woodland. it was easier and cheaper to photograph them rather than have them copied.

Statistics

I thought I might check some statistics, or “Dam Lies and Statistics” if you have read the book. Here are the top 5 articles from this blog as measured by page views. No 1 on the list is "Current Planning Application Status" closely followed by the first page published, the water tower wood welcome. Now I reckon the introductory page is an outlier in the data set because this will be the page view that most people will get from an initial search to find the blog. Once found, people can go to their article of choice or use a search word to find a particular page. 

Article Title
Ladybirds Galore

Support Statement 1st March

Big Society or Community Spirit

Something Lighthearted But Lovely

May The Best House Win 

Dalhousie Crescent

First Letter of Support

Susan Goes On the Offensive   No 3 - 108 page views

Esk Valley Trust

Sex and £1,000

Current Planning Application Status    No 1  - 134 page views

Biophilia

 Snow Line in the Park

 More Photos

 Photos Galore

Water Tower Appreciation Society

New Planning Application   No 5 - 66 page views

Why Is The River Esk Red?

The Snow

Midlothian Cuts and More Hamlet!

Kevock Garden

Call Kaye Radio Programme

Something Is Rotten In The State Of Denmark

Vogrie and Bridge Building

Jacqueline McDonnell

Friends Of Ironmills Park

Set Square - Scotland on Sunday Article  No 4 - 72 page views

Autumn Colours

Proof That Land Was Advertised For Sale

10 years to plan, 10 months to build

Matin Khan Wins Award

Event to Celebrate 100 years of Ironmills Park

Purchases Today

Water Tower Wood Management Plan

Black and White Photograph

How Come We Bought A Woodland?

Water Tower Wood Welcome  No 2 - 128 page views

So what do the results tell me - that the planning stuff is the most popular along with an interest in the Scotland on Sunday article. The SOS article was the first that I linked to facebook. I guess that might show the power of facebook.

February was the month with the largest number of page views in any single month, reaching a peak of 790 page views from a total so far of 2,650 page views.

February was the month when our latest planning application was submitted and this does seem to be creating a great deal of interest. So much so that one very recent objector wrote about trees rather than the planning application items per se and called for a chat after removing this objection. We had a lovely follow-up chat today about planning issues, eco issues and sustainability as we walked around the woodland. Also today in the Telegraph our beloved Prince Charles is writing about Eco Bling; this being the eco stuff that is not so practical but gets people excited. In his opinion, and I concur, the best Eco thing to do for buildings is to go for the very best in insulation before even thinking about solar panels and ground source heat pumps. Interesting.

So this is a bit of a boring article today but I have something much more interesting next week. I have the photos from the Red Cross Ball and a breakdown of the monies raised from our restaurant and painting donation. Thanks to Arlene Stewart of Radio Forth fame who talked about her 30^th birthday dinner at the restaurant, I think we got a really good result for the Red Cross. Oh and Arlene, if you are reading, we did the Fit or Fuddly app on the I Phone. G got 9/10 – it can’t be right.

From I Google today
62.15% of all statistics are meaningless.

Anonymous

Ladybirds Galore

Sorry some of the pictures are a bit blurry. Every recess of the wooden posts on our decking has become a ladybird nest this year. It is just such a lovely site. The Sumach plants in front of the deck are also covered in ladybirds. I guess we won't have a greenfly problem this year.

Spring has indeed arrived. What's new at the woodland? well the snow drops are out in profusion on the slope and can be seen at quite a distance away. The clumps are dense and robust probably due to the enrichment of the soil with leaf mould over the years. I know that snowdrops can be divided "in the green" so I may do that and spread them around the slope.

In my garden area the first of the azaleas has flowered and lots of crocus are showing through the winter debris. I hate clearing it up because I usually break a few flowers in the process but the small loss is worth it in the long run.

Works to the strip at cemetery road continue with tons of waste blaze being removed to make ready for planting. This job is taking longer than originally thought. Pictures to follow.