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Mayor accused of ‘misinformation’ about Yew Tree Farm update
A Green Party prospective councillor and environmental campaigner has accused Marvin Rees of a “desperate display of greenwashing and misinformation” as he shared an update on South Bristol Cemetery’s expansion onto land currently used by the city’s last working farm.
Writing on his mayoral blog, Rees said that protecting the site of nature conservation interest (SNCI) at Yew Tree Farm “and providing Bristol families with necessary burial space are not issues in conflict with each other”.
He added: “We will continue to work hard, despite the noise of those who excel in creating heat rather than light, doing everything necessary to get this right.”
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The outgoing mayor said that his administration “cares deeply about Bristol’s parks and green spaces”.
Rees said: “Over eight years, we have worked hard to protect and invest in them, despite national austerity, and just last week we launched our strategy to improve their accessibility for all residents.
“We also care about Bristolians’ right to bury and subsequently visit their loved ones, in the city they lived, close to the people they cared about.
“Making tough decisions is part of leading a complicated and diverse city like Bristol. Working with the cards you are dealt, finite land and resources, and then choosing what is best for the city and its population.
“The decision to expand South Bristol Cemetery was the correct one. Simply put, Bristol is running out of burial space – the eight council-owned cemeteries cannot manage the pressure building from one of our country’s fastest growing cities.”
South Bristol Cemetery & Crematorium has been granted permission to expand onto land used by neighbouring Yew Tree Farm – photo: Martin Booth
Despite his own council officers admitting at City Hall that no other site but Yew Tree Farm had been looked at for cemetery expansion, Rees said that expanding South Bristol Cemetery “is the only appropriate option that has the necessary existing infrastructure and transport links, has the right topography and wouldn’t put additional pressure on green space in the city.
“A completely new development would result in larger carbon emissions and involve a larger area of green space.
“It’s easy to make sensationalist statements about our intentions, trying to raise fear and headlines through a fictionalised conflict between burial space and nature.
“But nobody has the right to fail Bristolians in such a fundamental way by doing nothing.”
Rees added that “it is easy to exaggerate any work that has taken place, when publicising pictures of tyre tracks in a muddy field during a wet February, or contrasting pictures of shrubbery in summer with those taken in winter”.
“In reality, the only work undertaken by Bristol City Council at Yew Tree Farm this year has been soil information sampling to enable design of a drainage attenuation basin… The main scrub encroachment clearance work is yet to happen.”
Politicians from all four main parties with Catherine Withers at Yew Tree Farm in June 2023 – photo: Rob Browne
Danica Priest, one of the Green Party’s local election candidates for Filwood ward, tweeted: “There’s so much misinformation in here I don’t know where to start.
“I love that Marvin thinks he can just put out a blog post that says ‘what’s really happening at South Bristol Cemetery’ and think people will believe it when the facts are already out there…
“Accusing me of exaggerating when I have physical evidence and my Dad is a soil management expert is a bold move. Also accusing @Catherinewith11 (Yew Tree Farm farmer Catherine Withers) of mismanaging the site is disgusting. Just disgusting.
“Let’s not forget that Marvin is giving the management of the SNCI to the person responsible for the damage to the hedges who is STILL doing damage.
“You don’t get to separate yourself from that. You don’t get to pretend you care about wildlife when your actions show the opposite…
“Please spread this message and let Marvin know people won’t fall for this desperate display of greenwashing and misinformation…
“This is really embarrassing for your whole administration. You can try and discredit us all you want but just like with the Western Slopes the facts are on our side and history will not view your cruelty with kind eyes.”
Main photo: Mia Vines Booth
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