Sir, - May I appeal to our planners to stop carving up our countryside and urbanising it, To quote Frank Mitchell, "Many miles of hedgerow which were happy hosts to plants and birds are swept away." Those of us who are privileged to live in the countryside cherish the hedges of hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, wild rose, crab, damson and scores of other native plants. They form impenetrable barriers and they play host to our numerous birds and other wildlife. Have you noticed this year's wonderful white blossom?
After planning permission has been given to build a house, why do planners then allow the applicant to remove that genuine rural setting to which they have been attracted in the first place? I understand that in some cases hedges have to be set back from the road for traffic reasons. Future applications to build houses in the countryside should include a requirement in the planning approval to preserve the natural hedgerows and prohibit their replacement by inappropriate urban walls.
Let us work together to protect our natural environment. But our planners must act quickly before it is too late and our beautiful countryside is destroyed!-Yours, etc.,
Fedelma Tierney, Castletown, Portroe, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.