Special memories will be lost if orchard axed - girl

Nine-year-old Jasmine from Fremington has been campaigning to save a community orchard that is under threat from being bulldozed.

Developer Pearce Construction (Barnstaple) Ltd has proposed building 160 homes in West Yelland, near Barnstaple, Devon, including removing the Lagoon View Community Orchard to create an access route for plant and building materials.

"Me and my Green Earth Group, we wrote letters to the King, the council, the government, we just said how we love this place, how it's just amazing and why I want it to stay here," said Jasmine.

Pearce Construction previously said it would undertake replacement planting, create a new orchard and improve community facilities.

Jasmine said she was "extremely sad about all the habitats that will be destroyed, all the squirrels, all the insects and birds, and nobody will get to play here again and all the memories that everybody's had will be gone".

The land is owned by Pearce Construction, and was earmarked for a children's playpark but was given to the community 13 years ago.

It has since been given Public Open Space status and it is an Asset of Community Value.

Pete Thorn, campaigner and chair of The Lagoon View Community Orchard Association, said it would be "devastating" and "the loss to the community would be enormous".

He said the space was regularly used by children riding their bikes and exploring, and hosted community events like barbeques, picnics, carol singing, and Morris dancing.

Concerns have also been raised by residents about the safety of pedestrians if the road is built through the orchard.

Charlie Binder Rios, who lives near the orchard, said: "If you look at that corner, it's on a blind bend already, it's already dangerous for children on bikes, people crossing the road.

"It's just alarm bells really that they might want to put large trucks through there."

North Devon District Council said the application was in a consultation period and it would assess all planning considerations while balancing the application's "benefits and impacts".

"To date 197 objections have been submitted by members of the public," it said.

"The application will be determined by the council's planning committee at a later date."

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