Hedgerow destruction by developer for shared cycle path ‘disappointing’

The council has been urged to do everything possible to save hedgerows and other forms of biodiversity in the future after a hedgerow was destroyed in Newcastle.

Calls have been made for the council to do more to protect the natural scenery in South Dublin after a hedgerow was destroyed on the Aylmer Road in Newcastle, which was removed as part of the work of an ongoing development.

However, the planning application for this development had stated that the existing hedgerow would be retained for the most part, and that a new hedgerow would be planted in the areas where the existing one was removed.

Councillor Francis Timmons called on the council to do more to protect the hedgerows and other forms of biodiversity in the local area.

Cllr Timmons said: “We’re in the middle of a biodiversity emergency and if we are not serious about it, and we’re not going to do it, then basically we should scrap the biodiversity plan that we have in the council.

“We’ve had hedgerows removed up in Newcastle and Ballynakelly that went back to the Norman times – they were destroyed by developers and they weren’t supposed to be.

“Then, we had hedgerows destroyed up in Rathcoole and we had a TPO [Tree Preservation Order], now I’m told the TPO won’t go ahead

. . . our whole survival relies on biodiversity, so I’m a bit disappointed.”

Road widening at the Aylmer Road site will include space for a proposed new shared cycle path and pedestrian footpath along the southern side.

It is likely that the hedgerows at the location have been taken out so that this can be accommodated. It is expected that hedgerows that have been removed will be replaced, as per the description, but the removal of the existing shrubs has caused disappointment among members of the local community.

In 2019, the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service told the world of an unprecedented decline in nature around the globe.

Cllr Timmons noted his shock when he saw the aftermath of the hedgerow removal on Aylmer Road and called on the council to be more considerate going forward and to take as much care to protect the local nature.

“There’s nothing that can be done about Aylmer Road now. It’s gone, that hedging is gone.

“I’m asking in future that the Planning Department do everything possible to save hedgerows and trees.

“It doesn’t mean that we’re not going to knock down some trees along the way, we don’t have to open up and have hedgerows going into developments as well, because I’m a realist as well, I know that that can’t totally happen.

“But, what I’m asking is that we don’t destroy what we have left.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.