«Breaking News» Campaigners gear up for battle to save fields that inspired beloved novel Watership Down

Green fields and woodland which inspired Watership Down are under threat from developers who want to build hundreds of homes there.

Thousands of fans flock to Sandleford Warren in Hampshire each year to follow in the footsteps of the novel's gang of rabbits.

The woodland inspired author Richard Adams to pen his children's classic - and this week the BBC aired a brand new adaptation. 

Thousands of fans flock to Sandleford Warren in Hampshire every year to follow in the footsteps of the Watership Down rabbits

The new adaptation, voiced by Olivia Coleman and Ben Kingsley, carries Adams' ecological message of the impact of destroying local wildlife habitats.

But a real-life tale of green destruction began in 2011 when plans were unveiled by Bloor Homes and Donnington New Homes to build 2,000 homes.

They applied to build on the Sandleford Warren on the outskirts of Newbury which borders an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

They were approved but disagreements over access, education and other infrastructure between the two developers and the council led to an impasse.

Plans were unveiled by Bloor Homes and Donnington New Homes to build 2,000 homes on the site in 2011

Two new applications were then submitted in April 2018 for 1,500 homes across the site.

The new development comes as demand for housing in West Berkshire rises and the council need to build new homes as part of its local plan.

The fate of the historic site will be decided by West Berkshire Council on January 31.

Adams, who grew up in the area, spoke out against the proposals before his death in December 2016.

Author Richard Adams was inspired by the woodland to pen his children's classic and this week the BBC aired a new adaptation (pictured)

Mr Adams said: 'It is my firm belief that to build on the quiet meadows of Sandleford would be an ugly invasion, a nasty wound to one of the loveliest retreats in all Berkshire and Hampshire.

'I understand that houses need to be built, and that people need homes to live in.

'But any dispassionate examination of the situation leads to the emphatic conclusion that this land should not be built on.

'If Sandleford goes for development, it will be the thin end of the wedge.

'Once an area of countryside has been broken into for development, the process continues until the whole area has been ruined. I might be dead, but how will you feel about that?'

Adams, who grew up in the area, spoke out against the proposals before his death in December 2016

Locals say that the plans will destroy the 'beauty' of the area and will severely impact on tourism which the famous trail brings.

Peter Norman, from campaign group Say No to Sandleford, said he wasn't expecting the new applications to be submitted so soon.

He said: 'But that doesn't alter the fact of the matter, which is that it's come in far too late and we have lost green land on north Newbury as a result.

'There are no congratulations for anyone involved here. I hope it will prevent further green space from being consumed, but I doubt it.

 Locals say that the plans will destroy the 'beauty' of the area and will severely impact on tourism which the famous trail brings

 Two new applications were then submitted in April this year for 1,500 homes to be built across the site

'I'm still very much of the view that this is in the wrong place and will put an enormous strain on Newbury's infrastructure.'

Mr Norman added that the group's main objection was to the 'adverse affect' the development would have on the 'historic landscape'.

Jack Taylor, from the Woodland Trust, said the development could destroy historic 'ancient woodland' on the site.

Sam Cartwright, senior biodiversity and planning officer of the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust said the site was vital to preserve ecol the rare ecology of the site including rabbits.

He added: 'We have objected to the building plans on the basis of the detrimental impact it will have on the habitat of local wildlife and made a series of recommendations including larger buffer zones* to protect the site's ancient woodlands.'

Sandleford was accepted as a housing site in 2012 and the first homes on the site were envisaged to be completed by 2018.

The message from Clover, voiced by Gemma Arterton, echos the voices of locals in the BBC Drama, who said: 'There's terrible evil in the world men will never rest till they've spoiled the Earth and destroyed the animals.' 

Link hienalouca.com

https://hienalouca.com/2018/12/25/campaigners-gear-up-for-battle-to-save-fields-that-inspired-beloved-novel-watership-down/
Main photo article Green fields and woodland which inspired Watership Down are under threat from developers who want to build hundreds of homes there.
Thousands of fans flock to Sandleford Warren in Hampshire each year to follow in the footsteps of the novel’s gang of rabbits.
The woodland inspired author...

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Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca





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