Bush pruning sparks bird safety fears

A spate of harsh pruning in St Ann’s Well Gardens and Adelaide Crescent has sparked fears birdlife might be at risk.

Bushes and shrubs have been cut back to such an extent residents say they have been “butchered”.

But Brighton and Hove City Council has defended its actions, saying it will be good for wildlife in the long run.

Posting on the Brighton and Hove Issues Forum, Kathy McMullen said: “Sheltering bushes providing safe spaces for nesting have been reduced to stumps, naked stumps.

“They will not recovered this year in time for those birds who have survived the harsh winter to build their nests out of sight and the reach of predators.”

A council spokeswoman countered: “The bushes and shrubs have been hard pruned (but they could have been
pruned back even more) as part of general maintenance work.

“The pruning was done to cut out dead wood and encourage new growth. This will actually be beneficial to wildlife in the long term. They have also been pruned in the winter, outside of the bird nesting season.

“They were not cut as a result of antisocial behaviour. A hard prune every so often is good for the plants, and now that they have had their cut they will not need further work for a few years.”