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| Entrance to the site of the Persimmon development in a leafy part of Humberston |
There has been a stream of complaints about mud being deposited on the highway as the 385-home project progresses.
In one case, it has been claimed, the mud caused an accident when a child skidded on his cycle, lost control and fell to the ground.
Enforcement officers at North East Lincolnshire Council say the complaints have been investigated, but it has taken no action, preferring to issue reprimands.
The latest allegation is that up to 260 trees and an 80-metre hedgerow have been uprooted without consultation - let alone consent.
Although Persimmon has not held up its hands to any breach of regulations, nor expressed regret, it says it will undertake "landscape replacement".
But precious habitat has been lost, and songbirds have left the site just as they were establishing nesting territories.
Any new planting will take years to mature, and, in the meantime, many of the saplings may well perish.
Persimmon plc is a FTSE 100 company with deep pockets and powerful influence.
As with the mud on the road, it remains to be seen if the council will take any enforcement action against a company of such considerable clout.
So far, all that NELC has said is that it is "continuing discussions".
The Grimsby News says: If Persimmon has flouted planning regulations with destruction of trees and hedgerow, NELC must take appropriate enforcement action. A don't-do-it-again rap on the knuckles would be a totally insufficient response. What sort of message would that send out to other developers in the borough? That the council is willing to turn a blind eye to transgressions that damage the environment.Firmness is essential. Otherwise, residents will reach a double conclusion - first, that there is one law for the rich and another for the rest of us, and, second, that NELC planners are spineless in protecting precious green habitat.
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| How the Grimsby Telegraph reported the removal of trees and shrubs |
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