Protesting pensioners rally in defence of threatened hedge at nine-acre retirement park – and see off contractors employed to tear it down

Dozens of pensioners have rallied together against plans to replace a beloved 60-year-old hedge with a wooden fence at their luxury coastal retirement park. 

Around 80 retirees staged a protest at the middle-class Solent George, in Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire, on Wednesday in a bid to stop plans hatched by Regency Living. 

The elderly people stood shoulder-to-shoulder holding ‘All Hedges Matter’ signs and complaining that they have ‘had nothing but hassle’ from their property managers.

Regency Living – which operates the nine-acre ‘haven of tranquillity’, featuring bungalows fetching £550,000 – only notified residents of the plans on Friday in a ploy to ‘stop them getting together’, one said.

But protesters turned out in their numbers, saying the destruction of the hedge would be the ‘final straw’ after Regency Living failed to deliver on promises to construct a pool and gym. 

When the contractors, New Forest Fencing, arrived at Solent Grange this morning they were blocked from entering. One woman even lay on the floor, refusing to move.  

Police and a rural crime taskforce attended to quell tensions before, amid a chorus of cheers, New Forest Fencing turned around and decided to decline the contract.

Although residents are ‘thrilled’ with the outcome, some admitted they are ‘worried’ this will only be the first step. ‘We are sick of being treated like babies’, one said. 

Marilyn Whalley, 73, a member of the residents’ association committee which organised the protest, said: ‘We are thrilled to bits, but we know it won’t stop them from taking the hedge down, that’s the problem.

‘I’m the one who organised this, who sent all the emails and everything.

‘They only told us on Friday evening to stop us from being able to get together. The support has been overwhelming. It’s terrific that we can get all these people to turn out.

‘It’s worrying that we don’t know what will happen. To lose this hedge is a huge issue. It’s the only hedge that nests sparrows in the area.’ 

Residents fumed over the plans to tear down the fence in the midst of nesting season. 

The greenery also separates the community from a busy road outside, meaning it will ‘look awful’ if the hedge is removed, according to locals. 

Residents allege that Regency Living want the hedge gone because they are unable to build more properties so close to it. 

On the company’s website, it boasts: ‘Solent Grange beckons individuals and couples aged 45 and above, retired or semi-retired… seeking an active community amidst a tranquil and spacious retirement haven near the Solent.’ 

The hedge has been there for at least half a century, when the community was a caravan park, and pensioners see it as integral to the site.

Steve Bennett, 68, said: ‘It’s just wrong of them to do this when they know none of us want it.

‘They also have to ask residents about any changes but they only told us about this on Friday evening, so basically four days ago, so that we wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. How sneaky is that?

‘They knew we wouldn’t like it and they don’t like it when we stand up for ourselves. We were promised a swimming pool and a gym when we moved in here but I think we’ve all given up on that now.’

Caroline Bennett, a semi-retired teacher at 67, said: ‘I’ve lived in the area all my life and love it here. It’s so peaceful and the nature is amazing, but we moved here for the community really.

‘That’s what matters to people our age. We have a crochet club and quiz nights, it’s so lovely.

‘They’ve gone over our heads with this and we’re not happy.

‘Without the hedge we’ll see all the traffic that speeds past. We can already hear it but it’ll be worse with no hedge’

Maggie Prince, 77, who was joined by her 79-year-old husband Mike, said: ‘We used to come when it was a caravan park. My aunt and two of my cousins used to live here.

‘That hedge was here back then, which must have been 50 years ago, at least. I’ve always seen the different birds living there and now they want to get rid of it.

‘Then we moved here from Hythe three or four years ago to get away from the hassle – but this place has only been a hassle.

‘I can be quite the troublemaker when I want to be. This is important to us.’

Birdwatcher Keith Metcalf, who lives at the site, said: ‘I moved the family down to Milford from London in 1988. I was the parish clerk from then until I retired in 2014, but really I moved here because of my love of nature.

‘I love wildlife, especially birds. I’ve been doing surveys on the hedges around here and I’ve seen this one house common birds like blackbirds, bluetits, great tits, pheasants, and wrens, but I’ve also seen fairly uncommon birds like Cetti’s warblers and stonechats.

‘It’ll be sad to see that go. And it’s in the height of nesting season – they would only have to wait a few more months for it to be over, but no.’

Simon Harris, 52, has been a tree surgeon for 17 years. His dad Mike lives in the Grange.

He said: ‘It’s all about their moral compasses. I’ve turned down loads of jobs like this because it’s just wrong. Anyone with a moral compass could see that.’

Resident Denise Dawson, 70, added: ‘We’ve had so many issues here. The place is a building site, there’s skips and piles of rubble years after they were meant to be cleared. This hedge is the last straw for a lot of us.

‘Residents are fed up. I know we’re old people but they treat us like babies. And it will just look awful without the hedge.’

A spokesperson for Regency Living said: ‘We understand why residents feel strongly about this, and we want to reassure them that protecting local wildlife is something we take very seriously. 

‘These works are being carried out in order to meet the conditions of our site licence, and in full compliance with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. 

‘A qualified ecologist will be present on site throughout – no nesting bird will be disturbed. 

‘We hope this is the start of a longer conversation with the community about the environment at Solent Grange and look forward to working with our residents on further enhancements to this beautiful setting once works are complete.’

 New Forest Fencing were contacted for comment by the Daily Mail.