It is with a very heavy heart, that our worst fears about the Sandwell Plan are now arising and a sense of Deja vu on the former Duport’s Tip and surrounding roads has seen the mass destruction of hundreds of mature trees and the associated wildlife that lived there.
The previous operations and planning saga on this site were outlined in this post, but this perhaps serves as the direct sequel as to what is to come, and so we all must fight on to try to stop that from happening.
By way of history, the article below was written in 1995, and confirms that the area planted that has now been wrecked in just two weeks was a publicly funded urban forest that at this time was used as a propaganda tool by the then Black Country Development Corporation. This body were a despicable shill organisation for new build development, but used token planting like this to try to attempt to convey green credentials using our money. We can now see this fraud for what it was and that of their successor – The West Midlands Combined Authority.
BCDC-forest-Sandwell Chronicle -3rd-Feb-1995
I was contacted by a local resident who alerted me to the presence of diggers on the site in a Pearl Harbour style attack on the areas wild space. I visited on 11/1/2025 on a cold foggy morning, and in the mist I could see and hear the clattering of fallen trees as two diggers were on site. The video below captures some of this. Trees were piled up and they had obviously gained access from Gladstone Drive- the new front line of the war on wildlife.
Digger in the mist
By the afternoon, the two vehicles were parked up at the entrance, and it was clear to see that both were branded “DSM”. This was quickly found to be a company called DSM Demolition based in Saltley Birmingham.
It was clear to see the destruction that had been wrought on the site from above on the mound. I observed no site safety notices nor anything to prevent the public from accessing where I walked from off the canal- indeed this site has been used regularly by residents, dog walkers and the general public for many years after the Hurst family had abandoned it- save of course for their tatting for metal exercise in 2010 which I looked at in this post. Trees were piled up, and it struck me that it was their intention to remove any trace of ecology off the site so they could attempt to claim there was nothing there.
Also piled up at the entrance were remains of the butile lining of the French Drain, installed as a planning condition on account for the landfill gas associated with this site. One therefore ponders as to what pre application advice or guidance had been sought from Sandwell council- of course they had questions to answer?
Local residents had started to contact me about the work, and I immediately put in an email and contacted those in the council, including the deputy leader and Oldbury ward councillor for this area Suzanne Hartwell. Needless to say, I have yet to get any answers or even the courtesy of a response from this individual.
Over the course of the following week, the destruction continued daily after the Sunday rest. Where was the recent tree survey, where was the recent ecological survey for protected species, let alone the recent soil tests bearing in mind that this is a contaminated former landfill site and that earth is being moved around by the vehicles on site? In fact, what type of site even is it, bearing in mind that it is not a site that has had any planning permission granted and no conditions to safeguard the public or the environment?
Looking across the lagoon, and the invasive filth on the hill
They were visible from the lagoon side just plucking trees out of the ground without a care.
Also exposed were remnants of waste packaging and scrap that had previously been unearthed then reburied during The Hurst family tattaphon in 2010.
The sun sets on the Tividale Urban Forest, as a darkened shadow malice descends
A rotary cutter destroys some more vegetation
The site now resembles a Viet Cong garden circa 1968 after being sprayed with agent orange, or perhaps the analogy of an Irish garden during potato famine may be more appropriate in this case. 😮
View from The Rattlechain Bridge canal basin
This desolation
The new barren landscape off Macdonald Close.
Sandwell council- treachery, Public relations lies and complicity.
It is clear to see that the landowners, whom I will be scrutinising in an upcoming post had a clear intention of removing natural habitat and known and recorded species from their soiled “development opportunity” “brownfield” site. I have said in the past what this term means and it is political doublespeak for where the poor people can live, and “greenbelt” is doublespeak for where the rich people can live in splendid isolation. Anyone who wants to protect the so called “greenbelt” and who lives in urban areas does not have a fucking brain, and is so clueless it is not worth me even trying to explain concepts like this and the gaslighting of the political class who of course live in their splendid “greenbelt” isolation oasis.
The Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust also objected to the loss of open space and this area is still within the area known as “The Local nature area recovery network.” It is difficult to see what opportunity there is now, but certainly we know what was there, and this has been recorded. If the landowners come out with some latter day report written by a claimed environmental consultancy, that consultancy and their professional credibility will be put to the sword.
The forest may be gone, and the wildlife for now, but earth works, not sanctioned by any valid permission is a direct threat to public health. The council know this, and are obliged to protect us, even though they have failed miserably in that regard over many years.
RECORDING AND COLLATING EVIDENCE FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS.
I am going to be updating this website in order that local residents can have a full toolkit of resources and links to attack with- because be in no doubt, we are in for the fight of our lives against corrupt people with a corrupt planning system which does nothing any favours except pass ludicrous applications that destroy nature and wreck communities.