BROCKWORTH ORCHARD (highly vulnerable site)
TO:
Tracy Lewis Landscape Architect (& Natasha Ewins) Tewkesbury Borough
Council, Council Offices, Gloucester Road, Tewkesbury, GL20 5TT
Lisa Belfield (Planning Policy Officer) & Chris Shaw
(One pack has been sent to Tracy Lewis, one to Lisa Belfield, and one will be distributed to
Brockworth Parish Council).
1. We request that Tewkesbury Borough Council places Tree
Preservation Orders, with immediate effect, on all the fruit trees and
hedgerow trees at the Brockworth Orchard (map attached). The site is at
the junction of Mill Lane and the A46 Grid Ref. SO 90 31 66. (marks the
approx. centre of the orchard) for amenity, biodiversity/BAP and historical
reasons. NERC Section 40 applies. TPOs can be conferred to fruit trees
because these are not part of a commercial orchard. The site is visible both
from at least the A46 and Mill Lane. The site is 3-4 acres (approx.) and there
are dozens of trees on ungrazed grassland.
2. We also request that the orchard is given full protection as part of the
Rural Spatial Strategy/Local Development Framework, when the Green
Belt is put forward for housing. The orchard should be integrated with
existing wildlife corridors and hedgerows/hedgerow trees retained.
3. We recognize the orchard as a Green Space, Key Wildlife Site/Local
Nature Reserve and possibly a Community Orchard and Public Open
Space.
 Community Orchard
The Brockworth orchard is up to 300 years old and perry pears are known to
be long lived. A community orchard can be created at this ancient orchard;
there is potential funding available, a willing coordinator and expertise. The
site is a strong candidate for a community orchard and is well placed, being
visible and accessible from the A46 (and is on a regular bus route). Tree
wardens have already expressed an interest in making Brockworth orchard a
community orchard for the benefit of the parish and surrounding area.
 Perry pear varieties
There are many common varieties at the Brockworth orchard (eg. Blakeney
Red, Butt & Moorcroft {aka Stinking Bishop or Malvern Hills}), typical of
those found in the area. However, it is believed that there may be some rarer
1
ones, including “squash” pears. It is vital we preserve this collection and its
genetic diversity.
 Traditional orchards have now been given NATIONAL Biodiversity
Action Plan Habitat Status, following recent detailed ecological surveys by
Natural England. They are also part of the Local Habitat Action Plan for
Gloucestershire, promoted by the Gloucestershire Orchard Group, the Wildlife
Trusts etc. It is now known that orchards as a habitat provide a refuge for over
1800 species spanning the plant, fungi and animal kingdoms. The Peoples
Trust for Endangered Species are currently undertaking orchard surveys across
the UK, including Gloucestershire and Brockworth. The rare noble chafer
beetle has historically been found in the main fruit growing areas of the South
of England, such as Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, however in these
counties alone, up to 85% of traditional orchards have vanished over the past
40-50 years. Recent research by the Central Science Laboratory has shown
that the value of traditional orchards for birds is more than double that of
modern orchards, and that it is of vital importance that we maintain and
preserve our unique and ancient orchards not just for the noble chafer beetle,
but for other species which rely on such habitats.
 Gloucestershire has a tremendous history associated with the perry pear and
trees have been in existence around the Brockworth area (Luckwill & Pollard,
Long Ashton Research Station). In conjunction with the Gloucestershire
Orchard Group, Hartpury Trust has recently received almost £500,000
(Heritage Lottery, Rural Renaissance and Gloucestershire Environmental
Trust funding) for both a Perry Pear Orchard Centre (a first in the UK) and
an Orchard & Rural Skills Centre at Brookthorpe, Gloucester. Both have
museum orchards of Gloucestershire varieties of perry pear, apple and
eventually, plum/damson and will shortly offer courses of expertise in orchard
management (pruning, grafting, budding & fruit identification, juice, cider &
perry production), with an emphasis on habitat preservation for wildlife. Jim
Chapman is the contact for the perry pear centre and Dave Kaspar & Helen
Brent-Smith for the apple orchard centre. (Contact details available from Ann
Smith if required).

Gloucestershire Orchard Group
Conserves, promotes and celebrates traditional orchards in
Gloucestershire
2
www.orchard-group.org.uk/glos
Although the Gloucestershire Orchard Group (GOG) cannot become involved in
individual planning applications, its expertise can be tapped into. GOG is actively
involved in integrating traditional orchards in the local Biodiversity Action Plan.
Charles Martell is the leading county fruit researcher and he and Jim Chapman hold
National Collections of apple and perry pears. Last year, Biodiversity minister Joan
Ruddock visited the Gloucestershire Orchard Group to declare that traditional
orchards have national habitat status:
Biodiversity minister Joan Ruddock visits the Gloucestershire Orchard Group & Days Cottage Apple
Juice, Brookthorpe, Gloucester to declare that traditional orchards have national BAP status. © Juliet
Bailey. August 2007.
 The Slow Food Movement www.slowfood.com promotes the expertise in
perry making and a niche market in the three counties of Gloucestershire,
Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The new perry pear centre, alongside perry
orchards (including the Brockworth orchard), has the opportunity of tapping
into this “Presidium”, known as Project Perry. In addition, the Gloucestershire
Orchard Group and the centres, will be shortly setting up a web-based
marketing scheme, for the exchange of perry pears, apples, plums, damsons
and other orchard commodities.
 Triple Bottom Line accounting (coined by the Bulmer Foundation) promotes
traditional orchards in three ways: their cultural significance, their vital
contribution as a refuge for wildlife and their marketing potential. This
raises the value of orchards threefold. Income can be generated from the
Brockworth orchard and, indeed, Days Cottage (award winning juice, perry
and cider makers, Dave Kaspar & Helen Brent-Smith) are willing to harvest
the fruit when required. The Gloucestershire Orchard Group has other
contacts with perry makers to draw on.
 A Perry Pear Day could be celebrated and indeed, this would tie in with the
annual event at the Malvern Show (in collaboration with the Gloucestershire
3
Orchard Group & Hartpury Trust). Common Ground
www.commonground.org.uk have just celebrated eighteen years since the
founding of National Apple Day. They promote local distinctiveness and the
preservation of our orchard heritage (England-in-Particular) and community
orchards. There is now a huge wealth of expertise and funding for community
orchards. The Gloucestershire Orchard Group also keeps a register of
community orchards and is on hand to provide advice in setting up and
maintaining the site.
 The Ancient Tree Forum is compiling a national database of veteran trees
in conjunction with the Woodland Trust (Green Monuments campaign). The
perry pears at the Brockworth orchard are up to 300 years old and will be
registered on the site. www.woodland-trust.org.uk/ancient-tree-forum
www.treeregister.org www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk
 International expert Ted Green, from the Ancient Tree Forum, and Dr. Keith
Alexander, Gloucestershire Naturalists Society and freelance ecological
consultant recently spoke at the Gloucestershire Orchard Group’s AGM in
Churchdown Community Centre on the vital habitat veteran trees and
decaying wood provides for a huge range of saproxylic (deadwooddependent) BAP species, including invertebrates, fungi, mosses and lichens,
with associated food chains. Decay is a crucial part of recycling of nutrients to
the trees. The rare noble chafer beetle, for instance, is an indicator species
for ancient fruit trees and the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species are
currently surveying Gloucestershire’s traditional orchards, with input from the
Gloucestershire Orchard Group. www.ptes.org Anita Burrough, who has
already assessed the Brockworth orchard classes it as an important habitat,
particularly as there is evidence of some decay (class 2, where class 1 is given
to much visible decay and class 3 is for trees which would provide decay in
the future). There are already some cavities and heartwood decay.
Woodpeckers have certainly made their mark (photograph enclosed).
Standing dead wood should be retained; the Ancient Tree Forum,
Arboricultural Association, the International Association of Arboriculture and
our expert contacts have methods for making safe any fruit and hedgerow
trees, for health and safety reasons. Further details will be provided if TPOs
are refused on these grounds. At present, most of the trees are believed to be
healthy. Indeed, decay is a natural process and hollow structures are actually
stronger than solid ones.
 We have raised the Brockworth orchard issue with Alan Watson,
Gloucestershire County Council lead arboriculturalist, and he is able to
provide a letter of support.
 Fauna & Flora: the residential bee keeper at the Brockworth orchard has
reported seeing a large range of fauna and flora, including: bats, owls (barn &
little), buzzards, hawks, lapwings, woodpeckers (green & spotted), wrens,
tits, goldcrests, large grass snakes, slow worms, many butterflies, orchids
4
(bee & pyramidal). Just beyond the orchard, badgers have been seen on Mill
Lane (Chandos fields) and towards the bypass, a possible sett has been
photographed (enclosed). This warrants further investigation. When the fruit
is on the ground, flocks of redwings and other migrating birds descend. As the
site is damp, frogs and newts could visit.
Signed
Tree Council Tree Wardens
Ann Smith and Ernie Flounders
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Date …………………………………….
Contact Details
Ann Smith smithcovell@btinternet.com 01452 855677
109 Orchard Way, Churchdown, Gloucester GL3 2AP
Ernie Flounders 01452 862680
8 Moorfield Road, Brockworth, Gloucester GL3 4JA
Enclosures
Ecological Site Assessment (Collins Environmental Consultancy Ltd), photographs,
Gloucestershire Orchard Group leaflet, 2 no. Perry Pear leaflets, PTES leaflet &
survey form, Case Study no. 6 (Ancient Tree Forum leaflet entitled Ancient Tree
Guides no.3 Trees & Development) plus ATF leaflet Ancient Trees in the UK –
Securing their Future, A Guide for Local Authorities (East of England)
Copies of this letter have been sent to:
Gary Kennison, County Ecologist
Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
Helen Lancaster, Natural England (Cheltenham office)
Councillor Maureen Rowcliffe-Quarry, TBC & Brockworth Parish Council
Wayne Barnes, Forestry Commission
Holly York, Gloucestershire Centre for Environmental Records
Toby Clempson, TBC
Charles Martell, leading county fruit researcher
5