Row over Bristol farm continues as footage suggests damage to bird nests
Controversial plans are ongoing to expand South Bristol Cemetery onto Yew Tree Farm
The Bristol Green Party says it has ordered a council investigation into work to expand a cemetery in the city, after video footage emerged appearing to show birds nests allegedly destroyed by council contractors.
Videos seem to show damaged nests in the middle of heavily strimmed back scrub on Yew Tree Farm, onto which South Bristol Cemetery is currently being expanded.
For months critics have argued the plan would damage the habitats on the wildlife-rich farm, while the council, which was being run by Labour at the time the work started, said the expansion was needed as the city is running out of burial space.
In response to the footage the council, which the Greens now have the most seats on, has denied any nests were destroyed, and says the scrub removal works were supervised by an ecologist. The farm is owned by the council and designated as a Site of Nature Conservation Interest, next to the crematorium and railway.
Questions about the bird nests were put to councillors on the environment and sustainability policy committee on Thursday, July 25. Although the work of this committee includes the “ecological emergency”, its chair denied responsibility and initially refused to hear questions.
Green Councillor Martin Fodor, chair of the environment committee, said: “Some people have submitted questions that are the responsibility of other parts of the council, other policy committees or service areas. As a courtesy they have been given a factual answer, but that doesn’t mean we have officers here to discuss any additional questions.
“Some of these items shouldn’t have been brought to this committee. We’re not responsible for planning or development or the council’s plans for that site.”
He initially appeared reluctant to hear further questions about Yew Tree Farm, until John Smith, executive director of growth and regeneration, whispered something in his ear. Then he allowed Danica Priest, an environmental campaigner and Green Party member, to ask a question.
She said: “Massive amounts of scrub was recently removed at Yew Tree Farm, and despite being told an ecologist was present, multiple bird nests were destroyed. We have video evidence of this and the police have been notified. Unfortunately this isn’t an isolated incident.
“Doing work during nesting season is bad practice and harmful to wildlife. Will the new administration commit to stopping this behaviour on council-owned land? Council officers said no nests were destroyed, which is not true. We have video evidence of nests being destroyed. Why did you think there were no nests destroyed?”
Both Mr Smith and Cllr Fodor declined to comment on the issue during the meeting. But a written response to Ms Priest’s question said the work was “monitored by a licensed ecologist”. Two areas were identified with bird nests and “these have been left”. The response added: “The work carried out did not damage any bird nests”.
Catherine Withers, who runs Yew Tree Farm, criticised the “habitat destruction”. She previously warned the expansion of the cemetery would damage the biodiversity and viability of her farm.
In a statement to the committee, she said: “We were hoping that political change would stop the destruction of the farm. But again it seems we have breaches of planning, enforcement doesn’t exist in Bristol. The scrub removal happened outside the remit of any proposed plans.
“Who is available to hold officers to account when you get failed, like I have yet again? Who do I turn to? I don’t know where to go any more, I’m really losing faith. The farm is batting way above itself in biodiversity — and yet here we again, more habitat destruction.”
Despite the Greens previously criticising the plan to expand the cemetery, now that they’re in power the project is still going ahead. Emails sent by council bosses at the end of June, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, suggest the cemetery expansion work was given the all-clear by the new Green council leader Tony Dyer.
In the emails, Patsy Mellor, director of management of place, said: “This is still going ahead, as we need the burial spaces by next year. The leader is fully briefed and supportive.”
Jon James, head of service for natural and marine environment, added: “John Smith and Patsy Mellor have been in conversation with Tony Dyer on a regular basis on this matter, and the instruction I have received is to continue with the works to expand the South Bristol Cemetery.”
This appears to be a different approach than before the Greens won the local election in May, when they largely took control of the council. The council leader and the deputy leader are now both Greens, as well as six of the eight policy committee chairs.
In February, before the election, the Bristol Greens issued a statement calling for an “immediate end to all destructive activity taking place” on the farm. They urged the council to stop all work, until an investigation takes place into previous incidents of ecological damage.
Now in response to this latest development, the Bristol Green Party has released a new statement.
It says an investigation into all decision making around Yew Tree Farm was ordered by council leader Tony Dyer on 9th July.
"The remit of the investigation includes establishing a timeline of all decisions (whether by officers or members), identifying any deviation from high standards of decision making and implementation expected by the citizens of Bristol, and investigate the transparency of process," the statement reads.
"The investigation aims to provide recommendations and report publicly on its findings.
"Following evidence of damage to nesting bird sites, Cllr Dyer ordered an immediate pause to all activity with the SNCI until the investigation is completed.
"Bristol City Council and Bristol Green Party takes the climate and ecological emergency and our obligations to the environment as a key priority."