Fight continues to save Bristol’s last working farm

Bristol’s last working farm has been described as a model of sustainable low-intensity organic local food production.

Yew Tree Farm has been recognised by the Avon Wildlife Trust and the RSPB for achieving sustainable, low-intensity, organic local food production, while maintaining abundant and attractive biodiversity.

But the family-owned enterprise is under threat, with houses proposed to be built on the green belt land surrounding the farm.

Estimating what would happen if Yew Tree Farm off Bridgwater Road in Bedminster Down were to disappear, farmer Catherine Withers said that Bristol would lose 60 acres of organic unimproved pasture and meadow land containing 83 species of plants.

“We will lose our pasture where grass-fed cattle freely roam; we will lose approximately 1000 trees, the swallows will disappear, the skylarks, kestrels, owls-tawny, barn, and little sparrow hawks, sparrows, goldfinches, greenfinches, chaffinches, jays, kingfishers (and) dippers will disappear along with long tailed tits and tree sparrows, the foxes, badgers, bats, rabbits, butterflies, bees (mason, bumble, leaf cutting and honey), dragonflies, damselflies, hoverflies, the adders and the cowslips and orchids and other wild plants of the pasture.”

Yew Tree Farm features in this month’s Countryfile magazine – photo: Countryfile

In a statement to the full council taking place on Tuesday, Catherine wrote: “I wish I could honour all the species of life that will be lost if you build on my big little farm. Yew Tree Farm is punching well above its weight.”

Catherine added: “If you approve building on Yew Tree farm, on Ashton Meadow, on the Western Slopes and Elsbert Drive losing 30 hectares of fantastic habitat, it will be a travesty. Bristol and humanity cannot afford it…

“I understand you have targets but over 12,000 houses have approval in Bristol that are not built, developers keep them in low supply to maximise profits and keep the heat in the housing crisis.

“Force them to work for their profits, hybrid regeneration of places such as East Street and Broadmead, sympathetic and well thought through.

“Why are factories still empty over 20 years since they closed? Why are the bonded warehouses not converted? Why can you rent a storage container in BS3for £28 per week when we couldn’t rent living space for that?

“Why is wildlife, nature and a more secure future for our children and grandchildren not worth more effort? You are an opposition administration: fight the government targets that have been influenced by house builders, ask for legislation to force building of approved plans, rattle cages, save the planet!”

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Listen to Catherine Withers in episode 9 of the Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast:

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Richard Eddy, in whose Bishopsworth ward Yew Tree Farm is located, is calling on Marvin Rees to protect Bristol’s remaining Green Belt land in a ‘golden motion’, meaning that it should have priority to be heard at next week’s full council meeting.

The Conservative councillor said: “No-one denies that a city such as Bristol needs appropriate new residential development for its population to be housed.

“Unfortunately, I am far from convinced that the current Labour mayoral administration has achieved sufficient progress in regenerating under-used brownfield sites.

“The council ought to be prioritising brownfield re-use before considering destroying our precious Green Belt and green-lung open spaces.

“Unless the mayor signals a radical change here, unique environmental assets such as Yew Tree Farm – Bristol’s last working farm – and the beautiful Western Slopes could disappear forever under the bulldozer.”

In August, West of England metro mayor, Dan Norris, sampled the first jar of honey to be produced by Yew Tree Farm. The Labour Party politician has pledged to make the West of England the bee and pollinator capital of the UK – photo: WECA

Bristol24/7 has asked Bristol’s Labour group for comment.

Main photo by Martin Booth: Catherine Withers and Keith the piglet at Yew Tree Farm

Read more: Ward profiles 2021: Bishopsworth – ‘Our precious green belt is under threat’

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