Save H4 Hedgerow - Billet Road
You would think that with an application to cap contaminated land, also know as 'enabling works', by Bellway Homes which results in a Permanent MAJOR NEGATIVE effect on extent of habitat that every opportunity would be taken to retain some.
Especially the hedgerow outside of the capping / landfill area, namely Hedgerow Number 4 (H4).
Under Hedgerow Priority Habitats hedges H1, H2,H3,H4 are of intrinsic ecology value and provide habitats suitable for a range of protected species, including amphibians, nesting birds, invertebrates, bats, hazel dormouse and reptiles.
H1, H3 and H4 are to be removed, resulting in a LOSS of approx 500m (77%) of Hedgerow Priority Habitat. Only 150m of H2 hedgerow is to remain.
Although not mentioned in the supporting documents the boundary hedging along the eastern side of the site would need to remain in situ as it marks the boundary between the site and the neighbouring properies as well as the borough boundary.
H4 is outside the landfill capping area (yellow and red above)
The Hooper Formula says: The number of tree and shrub species in a 30 metre length of hedge can indicate its age, with one species for each 100 years.
The Billet Road 'Hedgerow Assessment' by Urban Edge states, H1 and H2 have an average of 3 species within 30m and H3 and H4 have 4 species within 30m.
Suggesting that H1 & H2 are 300 years old and H3 & H4 are 400 years old!
That takes us back to 1623, a little difficult to find maps showing hedgerows back then.
However, we know that the original medieval Hainault House (Henhault House) is shown on the 1777 map by Chapman & Andre.
The boundries and various hedgerows are clear on this 1862 - 1871 map (source National Library of Scotland, Essex Sheet LXVI survey 1862 - 1871). 
Back then Red House farm was called Heath Farm and St Chad's Well is further into the road plus the A12 didn't exist.
This is a close up of some of the H2 hedgerow on Billet Road.
