Broughton (UK) resident Lauren Jones got the shock of her life at work one day when she saw a picture of her cat on a Facebook group. The cat was stuck in a hedgerow set up with bird netting to prevent birds from building a nest in the hedges.
A building developer called Partner Construction is responsible for the netting. They plan to build 24 homes in the Hillside Road area. The same firm had recently installed their netting in Winterton as well.
Lauren said it was a very scary incident when she saw her cat Binks. She was at work and couldn’t get to her cat and the time and didn’t know why the netting was even there. One of her neighbors saw Binks and set him free. She said she hated to think what could have happened if no one had noticed.
The netting has caused a debate on BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine show after the presenter and wildlife expert Chris Packham both commented on social media.
Similar netting over hedgerows on land off Coates Avenue in Winterton caused controversy when it was highlighted by residents who have been campaigning against the proposed 40-home development by Partner Construction.
Neither the Winterton nor Broughton sites have yet received planning permission for the developments to go ahead, with the applications yet to be determined by North Lincolnshire Council.
The issue of netting was also debated on BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine show after the presenter and wildlife expert Chris Packham both commented on it on social media. Partner Construction’s managing director Lee Cresswell stated on the show
“If birds nested in the hedge it would stop us from doing building work – we cannot interfere with nests. It is now bird nesting season, therefore we have put the net on to prevent this, which would stop developments. We want to build affordable homes on these sites.”
A similar netting was placed over hedgerows off Coates Avenue in Winterton. Residents there have been campaigning against a 40-home project that Partner Construction wants to build. North Lincolnshire Council will have to approve both projects, which hasn’t gone forward yet.
In the meantime, Lauren says Binks has been traumatized and has been afraid to leave the house. It’s sad, but that’s the risk you take when a cat is allowed to roam. But is it cruel for a cat to live inside all of the time?
In a way, I admire people who allow their cats to roam the neighborhood. Personally, I wouldn’t chance it and the topic of this article is only one of many reasons why. I’m very paranoid about cats who live outside and the dangers they face.
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