Trees block treasured lake view in Fairford (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Trees block treasured view for walkers at Lake 104 in Fairford

10:00am Thursday 26th July 2012 in News By Laura Shack

LAKESIDE panoramas could soon be a thing of the past in Fairford after a developer planted trees blocking a treasured view for walkers.

Developer Cygnet Investments won planning permission for 140 lakeside holiday homes on a 4.15 acre plot to the east of Fairford in 2009, despite a campaign by local residents to preserve the land including Cotswold Water Park lakes 103, 103a and 104. Since then Cygnet has stripped outside access to the popular Lake 104 by building a perimeter fence.

Now residents fear they may be deprived of views of the lake from the west end of the circular footpath because trees have been "haphazardly" planted, which at full size could shield views from outside.

Fairford resident and dog walker Alison Dugdale said: "Now we can only see the view from over the fence. That is a lovely part of the lake and it’s just beautiful in the winter. It would be a shame not to see it. I can’t see the reason for the trees, other than to block us out."

Robert Jeanes, from Fairford, said he believed developers had planted the trees to create a more exclusive environment for future lakeside dwellers.

“The more private they make the lake, the more attractive it will be to buyers,” Robert said.

"I can’t see the reason for the trees, other than to block us out."

Alison Dugdale

Mark Savage, of Cygent’s management company Swangrove Enterprises, said trees had fallen down around the lake and they were in the process of being replenished.

"They’ve not been planted there for any particular reason that I’m aware of," he said. "This is the first I’ve heard of any concerns. I’ll have to look to see what we can do about moving them."