I AM in total agreement with the sentiments of last week's letter about the Grangers Lane/Rough Hill Drive development - why not look at brownfield sites?

In stating my concern for wildlife, I would just like to add to what has already been said that certainly the bulldozing of the area would without doubt destroy ground-dwelling creatures like field mice, shrew, grass snakes, and slow worms (a protected species) which have been seen in this area by several people.

While wildlife such as birds would be able to escape the bulldozers, they would not escape the consequences of the removal of their vital food sources.

By this, I am referring to the many trees and hedgerows surrounding this land which this year have produced bumper crops of fruit, berries and nuts but much of which would have to be uprooted to make way for the concrete, bricks and tarmac.

Common birds like starlings, sparrows and thrushes used to be frequent visitors to our gardens a decade or two ago. Today they are rarely seen, if at all, and yet this area, earmarked for building has ironically become home to several of these endangered species where they are now thriving and nesting each year.

In last week's Advertiser I noticed with interest two men were each fined £500 for damaging the roots of an oak tree and yet this proposal to build houses on this small piece of land could mean the destruction of up to 12 oak trees.

In the name of conservation, how can this be justified?

Surely this is an opportunity for Redditch Council to redeem its reputation and give support to its own pledge to preserve the environment, together with its wildlife wherever possible and turn its attention, as suggested previously, to brown sites.

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