Save Farley Moor Wood Campaigners Turn Out In Force In Opposition To A Holiday Park Scheme, Near Matlock, Courtesy Of Sfm
Campaigners who are fighting to preserve a Derbyshire woodland from a planned holiday park fear the scheme could pose wildfire risks if planners give it the go-ahead.
The Save Farley Moor campaigners have already organised a petition with at least 3,000 names in opposition to Forest Holidays’ planning application to Derbyshire Dales District Council to build 75 cabins in 140 acres of woodland at Farley Moor, off Farley Lane, near Matlock, and have hosted a series of well-attended events and activities.
And in their latest salvo the group has submitted what it claims are severe concerns about a feared potential wildfire risk at the scheme’s proposed site for the planners to consider despite Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service submitting no objections to the scheme.
A Save Farley Moor Group spokesperson said: “Wildfires in the UK pose a significant threat to wildlife and habitats, particularly during spring when many ground-nesting birds such as the nightjar, are breeding. These fires can destroy nests, scorch vegetation, and displace or injure animals, with some habitats potentially taking centuries to recover.
“This has already been seen in several wildfires in Derbyshire this year. The one at Glossop on peatland moor took a week to put out and [required] fire services from three counties and has been put down to the result of a campfire.
“This site has substantial peat deposits and is a very small woodland forest adjacent to residential housing and Matlock Farm Park children’s activity centre.”
The scheme includes nine one-bed cabins, 35 two-bed cabins, 22 three-bed cabins, five four-bed cabins and four five-bed treehouse cabins to accommodate 185 people, a car park, reception, shop, cafe, maintenance building and outdoor play area, a ranger station, storage pods, recycling points, ancillary roads, paths, and an archery range.
Campaigners have objected to the plans claiming the scheme will create potential noise and light pollution, a loss of trees, a risk of wildfires and an increase in traffic congestion and pose road safety and access problems.
Other concerns include the disturbance of land releasing peat into the atmosphere, flooding and surface run-off water from the scheme, and the over-saturation of the area’s holiday market and there is a desire to protect the location of a nearby ceremonial site dating back to the Bronze Age marked by a standing stone.
And after Save Farlrey Moor’s latest research, the award-winning group has reiterated its belief that the scheme poses a potential wildfire risk for residents and firefighters with possible budgetary implications for Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Campaigners stated that, according to the Natural England Fire Risk Map, the Matlock Forest is in the ‘Red Zone’ which is regarded as an area with the highest severity of risk in the UK.
They pointed out that climate change risk has increased the occurrences of very dry hot spells with the likelihood of fire sparks travelling and making the speed of spread extremely fast and the intensity greater.
The National Fire Service has also warned of the increased pressures on the fire service from wildfire risks nationally.
However, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service has raised no objections to the scheme but the campaigners claim they have been unable to determine whether any fire service wildfire risk assessment has been carried out.
A Fire Safety Inspecting Officer, acting on behalf of Derbyshire fire service and authority, stated the fire service has no objections subject to access for emergency vehicles and that site details should be provided with contacts and timeframes for the development and that there will be a full Building Regulations Consultation.
The Save Farley Moor Group – recently crowned as winner of the Inspiring Groups’ category of The Countryside Charity CPRE’s Living Countryside Awards – also stated it is not aware of any relevant Forest Holidays’ fire safety plan for the proposed scheme and that it has found one of its holiday brochures promoting campfires.
Campaigners highlighted that a wildfire in 2011 lasted ten days at Forestry England’s Swinley Forest which led to the Forestry Commission publishing the document Building Wildfire Resilience into Forest Management Planning.
They have also raised concerns that a wildfire plan is needed for Farley Moor due to nearby residents, campsites, Darwin Lake holiday cottages, farmland and the Matlock Farm Park children’s activity centre.
The National Planning Policy Framework emphasises the need to consider the potential impact of wildfires, according to Save Farley Moor, especially where rural and urban areas meet, and that there is a need to incorporate mitigation and adaptation measures into planning decisions.
A Save Farley Moor spokesperson added: “Wildfire risk is another reason we object to this application as an inappropriate location for such a long term development that will bring significant safety risks and financial or budgetary implications to our town and surrounding area, and infrastructure.”
A spokesperson for Forestry England, which operates as the landlord to Forest Holidays, stated that Forest Holidays’ cabins have successfully operated within the nation’s forests since the 1970s without any incidents of fire and all cabins are fully compliant with the relevant fire safety regulations, and guests are informed about the dangers of uncontrolled fires, which are strictly prohibited.
Any Forest Ranger-led activities that involve small campfires are fully supervised, controlled, and conducted in designated areas, according to the spokesperson, under strict safety protocols and to meet rigorous fire safety standards for operation, comprehensive fire control and prevention measures are implemented across each location.
The spokesperson added enhanced fire detection measures will significantly reduce the overall risk of any uncontained wildfire at Farley Moor due to close collaboration between organisations with the proactive management and presence of Forest Holidays.
The Forestry England spokesperson also said: “Wildfires are a growing threat to the nation’s forests as climate change leads to more frequent hot, dry weather and droughts. Forestry England has a coordinated approach to preventing and responding to wildfires across the nation’s forests in our care.
“We use forest management practices to prevent wildfires and develop greater forest resilience to wildfires. This includes planting a diverse range of tree species and maintaining fire breaks and rides, which is built into our forest design plans.
“Our overriding priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of our staff, visitors and emergency services. We have clear procedures and guidance on how our staff must act during a wildfire. We train staff to ensure they have the knowledge and confidence they need in their roles.”
Forest Holidays has stated the scheme will create new jobs and be sensitive to the environment with a management plan for a more diverse forest canopy with some necessary tree removal to minimise blight infection and it claims there will be an enhancement to change the woodland from coniferous pine to a more continuous cover, native woodland.
And Forestry England says it has been advised the development will have no adverse effect upon the highway and no safety concerns are expected and enhancements have been proposed at an access point off Farley Lane.
Forestry England also says it is confident the ceremonial circle will be unaffected by the holiday park development.
It has also previously claimed overall proposals have been designed to deliver ‘biodiversity net gain’ and there will be ‘no adverse impact or loss of habitat’ and lighting will be carefully considered.
Derbyshire Dales District Council’s planning committee is due to decide upon Forest Holidays’ planning application but no date has yet been fixed for a meeting, according to the Save Farley Moor campaigners.
