PETITION – PLEASE SIGN

SAVE THE OLD ORCHARD

Steeple Morden’s Natural Nature Reserve is between number 12 and 14 on Station Road, SG8 0NW. Grid Reference:2854542219.

The Old Orchard is a safe haven for wildlife. There are over a hundred trees on over 4 acres of land. It brings wildlife into Steeple Morden and it gives the village a rural leafy feel as you drive down Station Road, this makes Steeple Morden special it gives it identity.

A Planning Application has been proposed to build 12 new homes and 5 garages in a block on the on the site of the Old Orchard. The decision on the application has been announced as rejected, so far so good then.

I'm still asking people to SIGN this petition because history tells us that the developer will appeal against the rejection.

Please sign this petition to save all the trees in the orchard because as the years of neglect have gone by the orchard has turned into a natural nature reserve. There are some beautiful trees still growing amongst the ivy that has been allowed to smother the trees.

We have several man made woods in this area and the Woodland Trust's policy is to leave the trees where they fall so that this creates a place where nature thrives. The Old Orchard is already a safe haven for wildlife; nature thrives there already. We have seen deer, muntjack, badgers and many birds including Kites and Robins here. What is the point of creating new man made woodland for nature while ripping out the original real natural ones?

Other reasons for not wanting 12 houses (and a block of 5 garages) built on the Old Orchard site are:

The village will lose its countryside designation and identity, it will be more urban.

This could lead to further development and more houses built on the old orchard site.

Because of the nature of the site ie woodland, this could set precedence for further housing developments elsewhere.

Current sewage system is old and is already unable to cope at the moment.

Access to and from the middle part of the village will be even more difficult than it is now because there will be cars parking on both sides of the road. This will make it more dangerous to access the middle part of the village. The access to the development will mean added traffic coming and going along this same small stretch of road already oversubscribed where we all have to give way to each other and weave in and out of parked cars.

School is already oversubscribed.

GP surgery is over capacity with current wait times of approx 4 weeks for standard appointments.

Parking at the Train Station is already a hazard to passing motorists.

How can anyone seriously consider cutting down over 4 acres of woodland trees?

Please leave a comment with other reasons you don't want the development that i haven't mentioned THANK YOU.

ONCE ITS GONE ITS GONE..