The Labour Party in Northern Ireland

Press Statement: Foyle Branch of the NI Constituency of the Labour Party

Officially Sanctioned Vandalism of Prehen Wood

Work has now started on driving a private roadway through the ancient woodland of Prehen Wood. The Labour Party finds it very difficult to understand why the Planning Service believes it is in the public interest to sanction this access to a development which consists of 4 large two-storey houses with 6 bedrooms which will be built at the edge of the wood. It also cannot understand why it has agreed to the building of 4 large houses on such a small site which will result in serious consequences for the future preservation of this important amenity for the City. The wood has designations given to it by the Department of the Environment because of its importance and in the public interest. Which is more important the long term preservation of an important aspect of the environmental heritage of the city and its importance as a long-term amenity for the community or the short-term interests of the developer, his profits, and the 4 families who will occupy the houses. The Party very much welcomes the statement by the Chairman of the Environment Committee, Ms Anna Lo MLA, who visited the site on Saturday, 4 th of August, when she said, "I had been contacted by a number of local people who are very unhappy about the impact of this building development on one of the last ancient woodlands in Ireland. She went on to say, "This site is very important, both in terms of the trees with a number of tree preservation orders that are in place but also as it is the habitat of animals such as red squirrels and badgers. After seeing the site of the development myself I share their concerns about its impact, particularly the access route which is on the boundary of the ancient woodland. I am unsure why pre-existing access routes could not have been used that would have reduced any environmental impact on the woodland. I would like to thank both the Chair and Vice Chair of Prehen Historical and Environmental Society for inviting me along and I will continue to hold the Department of the Environment to account for the impact of this development on Prehen Wood." The Party feels that, given the large numbers on the waiting list for social housing, the public interest is not served by the Planning Service allowing this development at Prehen Woods. The Party sees this case as part of the continuing underlying and systemic problems within the Planning Service and the need for an Environmental Protection Agency for Northern Ireland. There is a need for the transformation of the Planning System into one which is

accessible transparent, accountable, and just and this will require legislative, policy and cultural change together with focus, vision and leadership something which hasnt been apparent in the case of the vandalism of Prehen Wood.