Marlborough
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Villagers upset over squire’s new forest
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| BARRIER: Oliver Clauson fears the view from his Ogbourne home of the chalk downs will be blocked by a new plantation of trees |
VILLAGERS in Ogbourne St George fear trees planted by their new squire Andrew Tuckey may obscure their views to distant downland.
They say Mr Tuckey, a City financier, was aware of their fears when he planted 5,000 trees on five acres of open meadow.
Mr Tuckey, formerly vice chairman of Barings Bank, moved into the manor in Ogbourne St George about four years ago.
He told the Gazette that he has been planting trees all around his 30 acres.
He said that the mini-forest planted in the last few weeks behind homes on the village High Street was intended to act as a sound barrier for the traffic noise from the Swindon to Marlborough Road.
But residents say they are far enough away from the main road to experience very little noise.
They fear that eventually the trees will block out views they have enjoyed across the Og Valley towards Roundhill Downs and the Ogbourne Downs Golf Club.
Oliver and Barbara Clauson have enjoyed the view from the garden of their Applegarth home for more than 20 years.
They said the meadow behind their home had always been used for grazing farm animals until Mr Tuckey purchased it from farmer Terry Knights.
"This had been farmed for presumably the last 1,000 years as arable land or pasture," said Mr Clauson.
Mrs Clauson wrote to Mr Tuckey saying she was concerned about the impact of the woodland on the views from their home and he responded saying: "We are confident the woodland will improve the wonderful environment in which we live."
Mrs Clauson said: "It is possible Oliver and I will not live to see the trees fully matured but you have to think of future generations."
Builder Eldie Merritt, who has lived in the village since 1946, said his home was probably the worst affected because it was low lying.
Mr Merritt said: "The new woodland is directly behind us. Because this is so close to our homes we thought the law would give us some protection; apparently not."
In December Mr Tuckey invited villagers to his home to discuss his woodland plans and more than 30 turned up.
Parish council chairman Ken Wallace said Mr Tuckey had obtained support from the Woodland Trust and the Forestry Commission for the plantation.
Mr Wallace said the field was outside the village's conservation area but added: "The views from the conservation area are included and they have been compromised by this scheme."
Mr Tuckey said he wanted to improve the environment. "It will look lovely but like everything else that is new people are concerned about it," he said.
"We have gone to great lengths to sculpt the way the woodland has been planned," he said, adding that rides had been left through it to keep the views from neighbouring homes across to the downs.
10:37am Thursday 1st May 2008
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CommentPosted by: donteventhinkit, Corsham on 12:56pm Sat 3 May 08
Instead of views of open land future generations will be able to see wildlife that inhabit woodland areas. A forest can still be grazed by sheep ponies and deer its not the end of the world.In the end you wont hear any road traffic and it will be a wind break as well as a haven for wildlife its also good for the environment As all plants are and will encourage wild flowers only found in forests. Trees can make for a wonderful view if managed correctly and he seems to want to manage it correctly so stop worrying and embrace a new faze in the local environment
Instead of views of open land future generations will be able to see wildlife that inhabit woodland areas. A forest can still be grazed by sheep ponies and deer its not the end of the world.In the end you wont hear any road traffic and it will be a wind break as well as a haven for wildlife its also good for the environment As all plants are and will encourage wild flowers only found in forests. Trees can make for a wonderful view if managed correctly and he seems to want to manage it correctly so stop worrying and embrace a new faze in the local environment
Posted by: Chris Randall, Cayman Islands on 1:26am Sun 4 May 08
I totally agree with donteventhinkit. Contrary to Mr Clauson's belief, the area was completely wooded up until the civil war; only the high downs, where the soil depth is insufficient to support trees, was open pasture.
I totally agree with donteventhinkit. Contrary to Mr Clauson's belief, the area was completely wooded up until the civil war; only the high downs, where the soil depth is insufficient to support trees, was open pasture.
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