Hedge Removal and Track Proposal

Hedge removal and hedge realignment in fields 424927-420802-424990 Hedges are in a poor state of repair and would require a lot of tidying up and repair to allow me to fence them to keep livestock from damaging them further and knocking stones off the hedges and into the path of machines, And the fields are not an easy shape to work in with modern farm machinery.

My proposal is to remove the hedge between field 424990 and 420802 and reclaim the area as workable field and remove the bottom section (approximately half) of the hedge between 424927 and 420802 and use the material from it to rebuild the hedge on the new line marked on the map in red and then erect stock fencing along both sides to maintain the hedge and plant it with natural grasses and allow gorse etc. to grow to make it a wildlife friendly hedge.

Hedge removal in field number 424899 is to allow for the existing lane to be widened and improved by stone topping it the same as proposed cow track (details in next section) to make usable for moving cows and make it safer for use as public footpath as it is currently rutted and badly damaged. The hedge has been heavily damaged by livestock and is in a poor state of repair when the lane is opened up I will repair the top hedge and erect a new fence along it to maintain it.

Cow track marked in pink on map is to allow access to grazing paddocks for longer in the year without cows causing undue damage to the fields and also allows more direct and cow friendly travel to and from the milking parlour and is more friendly towards the cow's feet than walking on mud and will prevent the cows from having to regularly walk up and down the road. See below for cross section of proposed track. Track is approximately 1200 metres in length and will be 3.5 m wide it will be laid on top of a geotextile membrane and will be made up from $4 / 6^{\prime \prime}$ stone and topped with quarry dust to make a smooth cow feet friendly top.