Conservative Candidate for the Eastleigh Constituency, Mims Davies, has welcomed a Conservative Manifesto Pledge for greater protections for Ancient Woodland which she raised multiple times in the House of Commons.
“In Parliament, I secured significant assurances from the Housing Minister and the Communities and Local Government Secretary that there would be greater protections for ancient woodland that would see it treated the same the green belt.
“Therefore I was delighted to see that greater protections for ancient woodlands like Stoke Park Woods in Bishopstoke have been included by Theresa May in our Conservative Manifesto for the General Election.
“I am glad that Theresa May has seen Councils, like that in Eastleigh, threatening to build thousands of houses on our countryside and irreversibly damage Stoke Park Woods and has decided to take a stand against it. It is staggering to think these woods and trees are older than many cathedrals and churches and I believe that greater respect should be given to these habitats so that we can look after our precious green spaces for our children and grandchildren.”
Lib Dem Eastleigh Borough Council recently voted to move closer to building over 6,000 houses on green space and ancient woodland north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak despite the objections of thousands of local residents.