A Nightmare in My Street

We all had letters yesterday informing us of a planning request to demolish the house opposite me to create an access road for some new houses they want to build behind the remaining houses.

The land in question used to be allotments, but haven't been used for growing in the 29 years I've lived here. They belonged to the Rail company, and there is a railway line running alongside. I assume the people who bought the house managed to get the land as well. It is currently only accessible from a gate in the garden of the house they want to tear down, and over the years it has become a piece of urban woodland. It's a wildlife site, with foxes, squirrels and birds finding a haven there, including house sparrows, a species which is declining in numbers elsewhere.

The demolition will leave the house it's attached to with a road for a neighbour instead of a quiet garden. The noise, dirt and disruption will make life a misery for the rest of us. The road is narrow and stuffed full of the cars of people who want to use the nearby stations and shopping centre. When some people had to move house temporarily the other day for repairs to be done to their home, the removal van couldn't park, so no-one could get through.

Into this fragile mix in a Victorian street they want to add a buiding site and heavy plant.

Shame on them.

We'd better win the case.