Protesters gather as developers descend on popular green space in Sheffield

Protesters gathered beside the land on Cobden View Road in Crookes, close to the junction with Northfield Road, after work commenced at around 8am today, Friday, May 29.

They claim the plot has been used by residents for more than 60 years and is both a popular spot for games and picnics and a wildlife haven which has been maintained by volunteers. They also say the footpath across the land has been used for decades.

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Councillor Anne Murphy claimed no permission had been given for any work, which she said should not be taking place as there are nesting birds at the site.

The Star has seen an email sent on Tuesday by an environmental officer at Sheffield Council saying he has written to planning enforcement requesting that all clearance works be halted until a full ecology survery had been carried out and ‘appropriate mitigation’ put in place.

“Further unmitigated works on this site are very likely to result in the disturbance of nesting birds which may constitute a wildlife crime under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act,” the email states.

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Work first began over the bank holiday weekend, when police were called after workers turned up and began boarding off the site.

Residents claim they were given no notice of the work.

When The Star contacted Mike Yafai, the developer to whom Coun Murphy said she had put residents’ concerns, he said ‘proof would be a great thing. I have no comment’, before hanging up.

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Coun Murphy said: “It’s been a community garden since I was a girl and there are nesting birds and protected insects there so we’re very concerned about the work which is taking place.”

She has since said that work stopped after a council enforcement officer arrived but two trees had already been chopped down.

More than 280 people have signed a petition called Save Cobden View Community Garden, which demands a full public consultation over the site’s future.

According to the petition, the landowner intends to build one or two shops with a block of flats above.