9:51am Friday 25th August 2006
THE borough's last remaining field of skylarks is under threat from development, a local environmental group has warned.
Harrow Agenda 21 said the threat comes from plans for housing at Wood Farm, off Wood Lane in Stanmore.
A developer want to build ten "executive" homes on the site, which John Palmer of Harrow Agenda 21 described as the most important wilderness wildlife grassland site left in Harrow.
Three pairs of skylarks, a nationally threatened species, bred at there this year, according to Harrow Nature Conservation Forum, because the grassland is home to many insects, which the birds eat, and there's little human disturbance.
Mr Palmer said: "Any development at Wood Farm would be completely against green belt principles and Harrow's own planning regulations contained in the Unitary Development Plan.
"It is possible that the council could choose to avoid its duty to maintain the green belt in return for a financial settlement.
"This would be a breach of trust, as the land was handed to the council in the 1930s to be maintained as public open space.
"There are fantastic views from the escarpment and the site really needs turning into a nature reserve with public access to these currently hidden views."
Harrow Agenda 21 is urging people to lodge formal objections to the planning application.
Letters should be sent to the planning department at Garden House, 5 St John's Road, Harrow, HA1 2EE, quoting reference "P/2203/06/CFU".
Mr Palmer suggested copying letters to the council's planning and housing portfolio holder, Councillor Marilyn Ashton, at the Civic Centre."
The deadline for objections September 5.
Mr Palmer said; "Do you remember the sound of the British countryside?
"It is the skylark, singing beautifully and powerfully from on high that has always defined our landscape in poetry and literature, from Shelley to Hardy.
"And, as so often happens nowadays, you don't really miss it until it's gone.
"But here's your chance to do something about it before it's too late."
There will be a public meeting protesting against the Wood Farm development at the Bernays Memorial Hall in The Broadway, Stanmore, at 8pm on Thursday next week (August 31).
For more information, see www.ha21.org.
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk