By Lesley Walsh
THERE has been a public outcry after the destruction of Donaghadee’s ‘treasured’ second Commons. Vegetation on the second Commons, which sits above the shoreline close to Stellenbosch Avenue, was completely cut down on Friday.
The incident has been reported to the PSNI and the Environmental Crime Division of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), with Minister Andrew Muir also told of the ‘appalling crime’.
Local representatives said they were alerted by residents after large equipment appeared on the field, with many wrongly believing the clearing machinery belonged to Ards and North Down Council.
The second Commons is used by residents and dog walkers. Before Friday’s incident, it was replete with wild hedges, trees and wild grasses, with its biodiversity of flora and fauna species evolving naturally in recent years.
Alderman Mark Brooks said he was ‘appalled’ after the deliberate ‘decimation’ of greenery from the council-owned, publicly used land. He said the brazen move, by a member of the public ‘will not be tolerated’ and he has reported the resident to DAERA minister, Andrew Muir.
“The Donaghadee community are rightly very angry,” he said.
Mr Brooks said a resident contacted him on Friday to ask if the council was cutting the grass. “The council doesn’t formally cut the grass; it’s been there for hundreds of years and its biodiversity has grown in that time. Perhaps it was a resident who was unhappy that they didn’t have a view, but it’s totally wrong.
“You wouldn’t just go into Ward Park in Bangor and cut down a tree. You wouldn’t bring a digger to city hall and knock down something just because you didn’t like the look of it,” he stressed.
Mr Brooks reiterated that the incident ‘is a crime and I would want to ensure that it’s properly dealt with and that whoever has done this doesn’t get away with it’. Councillor James Cochrane was also ‘appalled’ by the incident.
Mr Cochrane said: “I am deeply concerned and disappointed to see the reckless damage recently caused to the Commons in Donaghadee. This is a treasured public space for local residents, families, and visitors, and it is upsetting to witness it being treated in this way.
“Incidents like this are particularly distressing because the vegetation and natural areas affected will take a very long time to recover, and the harm done cannot be quickly undone.”
Mr Cochrane said he would urge anyone with information ‘that could assist in identifying those responsible to come forward and support the ongoing investigation’.
Information can be shared with DAERA’s Environmental Crime Unit via environmentalcrime@daera- ni.gov.uk, or with the PSNI by calling 101 or reporting online at https://www.psni.police.uk/report.
A spokeswoman for Ards and North Down Council said the matter is being investigated.
“This matter was reported by Council to the PSNI and the Environmental Crime Division of DAERA, who the Council is currently liaising with, and will continue to monitor the situation.”
