RESIDENTS are still battling to stop a Meon Valley meadow from being developed.

Nick Butler owns the greenspace off Dradfield Lane in Soberton and has been converting it into a trailer park.

He has faced backlash from locals who say the work he is doing is unlawful – and that Winchester City Council will not stop him.

One resident told the Chronicle: "There seems to have been an impasse on the stop notice – still no stop notice issued, and no sign of one.

"The caravan that appeared on the site and then mysteriously disappeared was said by the Council at one point still to be on the site, but now I think they accept it isn’t. It has been found on a neighbouring plot and is being investigated separately I think."

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They added that hedges are still being destroyed during the development.

"The hedgerow destruction offence is an ongoing saga. The council have requested replacement of the section of destroyed hedgerow, but it seems that this is not including the expanded width of the gateway (only the side panels, plus some replanting elsewhere).

"They have declined to take more formal enforcement action yet. The main continuing issues on this are the nature and degree of replacement required; and the council’s current view that the hedge, although protected, is not “important” within the meaning of the legislation.

"I personally have recorded Brown Hairstreak butterflies breeding in the hedge, which as a protected species makes it important on this basis alone, as it is accepted to be over 30 years old."

As previously reported, Mr Butler has applied for retrospective planning permission for the enlarged gates and hardstanding.

A decision is yet to be made but CPRE, Cllr Victoria Weston, and Soberton Parish Council have publicly objected, as well as dozens of locals.

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