The Calm Before The Storm - Beautiful Post Christmas Weather for Walking

Blue skies, a bit of frost and lots of birds describes the long walk between Naunton Beauchamp and North Piddle today. 

Most of these photos were taken about half-way between the two villages by a tree that had beautiful low sunlight and the kind of light that you only see around the Winter Solstice. Warm and soft it makes the birds glow (but only if they happen to not be in shadow which they have a habit of doing of course especially if you have a camera in your hand). 

It's about 750m away from the proposed site of the Chicken Broiler Units at Upton Snodsbury. If the proposed application is successful (it's currently with the Planning Inspectorate at Appeal) it can only be imagined what impact the smell of manure and the change to the water clarity of Piddle Brook will have on the otters, birdlife and plantlife that at the moment sustains a wonderful ecosystem.  All that could be lost....in the meantime, I keep taking photos and making the most of what we have right now. 

There's a few birds in there but well-hidden!

A flock of...? Possibly Chaffinch

Buzzard sitting in a hedge (located about 650m from site of proposed Chicken Broiler Units at Upton Snodsbury)

Close-up of Buzzard sitting in a hedge (located about 650m from site of proposed Chicken Broiler Units at Upton Snodsbury)

Buzzard takes off from hedge (located about 650m from site of proposed Chicken Broiler Units at Upton Snodsbury)

Warbler or ? 

Warbler or ? 

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?  Perfect day for a flight.

Chaffinch coming into land

Chaffinch

Chaffinch

Blue Tit

Not sure what this is

Blue tit

Blue Tit

Treecreeper

No Christmas would be complete without one of these 

Treecreeper 

Treecreeper in the tree - they are very small

Checking what this is too...

Naunton Beauchamp Church - St Bartholomew's

Sparrow

For more information on the proposed chicken broiler units at Upton Snodbury visit www.no-chicken-farm.org

Flooding from Piddle Brook downstream of Upton Snodsbury Chicken Farm

One of the major reasons for Wychavon District Council to refuse planning permission for Chicken Broiler Units by Edward Davies of Presteigne at Upton Snodsbury in October 2013 was because of the dangers of flooding and the pollution of Piddle Brook.

Residents of the areasurrounding Upton Snodsbury, North Piddle, Naunton Beauchamp, Cowsden, Flyford Flavell and Grafton Flyford who are more familiar with the problems than Mr Edward Davies of Presteigne Wales who has made the application, have written in to the Planning Inspector with whom the decision rests as to whether to Dismiss the Appeal or not. We expect the decision to be made by March or April 2014. Let us hope that the Inspector upholds the original decision so that the residents of the area can move on from the worry of having inappropriate and life-changing planning applications made by those who have little care for the impact it will have on the environment.

Naunton Beauchamp bridge over Piddle Brook

Piddle Brook overwhelmed by the flood water running under Naunton Beauchamp bridge

Piddle Brook Meadows Nature Reserve

Meadows behind Naunton Court

Entrance into Piddle Brook Meadows Nature Reserve 

Piddle Brook Nature Reserve

Road into Naunton Beachamp from B4082

Public Footpath into field behind Naunton Court

Underneath Naunton Beauchamp bridge

Church View Farm field

Piddle Brook overwhelmed by floodwater looking towards chicken farm site

Footpath alongside Piddle Brook

View towards Naunton Beauchamp Church from footpath 

These photos were taken in the past week (Christmas 2013). The flooding is typical of what occurs on a regular basis after heavy rain.  The Environment Agency shows it as up to 1 in 75 year flooding on the maps. Our experience is that flooding at this level occurred at least 4 times in 2013. It has been much much worse than this but when that happens it is almost impossible to get photos as Naunton Beauchamp is cut off and other than by tractor it is not possible to leave the village!

If the Chicken Broiler Units are built it is likely that the detritus of the chicken farm will pollute Piddle Brook as the units are only 160m from Piddle Brook right on the edge of the Flood Zone.