Bury Farm

BURY FARM is a 180-hectare (450-acre) area of Green Belt farmland crossed by public footpaths, rough tracks and bridleways. It is situated on the northern fringe of Edgware, in the London Borough of Barnet. The site has some rare breeding birds and regularly turns up interesting autumn passage migrants. It is currently (2013) under threat from the proposed development of much of the farmland into a golf course.

Address: Bury Farm, Edgwarebury Lane, Edgware HA8 8QS (Map:; OS grid reference TQ190941)

History
The ancient Celts cultivated fields in this area before the Romans arrived in Britain. The area was mostly forest until the 13th century, when woodland was cleared and the first farm was built. In 1442 Bury Farm was given by King Henry VI to All Souls College, Oxford. Subsequently, there was the odd colourful episode in the farm’s history, most notably in February 1735 when the infamous Gregory Gang, which included Dick Turpin, assaulted the 70-year-old farmer, raped one of his maids and robbed the farm. All Souls College still owns the farm, which is currently used for crops by a local farmer and for grazing and hacking by a riding stable.

Current threat
All Souls College wants to lease half the site — 70 hectares (173 acres) –– to a group that intends to develop an 18-hole golf course. It is claimed that the scheme would not disturb public footpaths (an assertion that is hard to accept). But whether or not public footpaths are affected, the farmer who has grown millet and other crops here for many years faces the threat of having to forfeit half of his 80 hectares (200 acres). The proposal would also leave about 70 horses at Bury Farm homeless. And, despite claims by All Souls, the development would restrict traditional access to the land by local residents.

If approved, the proposed golf course would, unbelievably, be the 22nd golf course within a five-mile radius of Edgwarebury Lane. It is unlikely to be successful because the existing 21 courses cannot attract enough golfers to support them. And a few years ago, a nine-hole golf course directly across the A41 from Bury Farm had to close through lack of business. It appears that the real reason for the proposal is that the land will initially be used profitably for 250,000 sq m of landfill, with the dodgy golf course then built on top.

The golf course plans have met fierce opposition from local residents, who want the land to be preserved as farmland with footpaths, tracks and bridleways open to all. The proposal has also attracted opposition from all sides of the political spectrum. Among its opponents are Andrew Dismore, the London Assembly’s Labour member for Barnet and Camden, and Matthew Offord, the Conservative MP for Hendon and Edgware.

A petition to protect Bury Farm from development into a golf course can be signed here.

Habitat
The site consist mainly of fields dotted sparsely with trees and enclosed by ancient hedgerows that contain more trees. Some of the site is used for crop-growing and some for grazing for horses from a riding school and livery stable at Bury Farm. The tracks and bridleways are used for hacking. Significant portions of the land are used as winter grazing for horses, and so are rested from May to November, providing an undisturbed haven for nesting wildlife.

Adjacent to the site are other areas of open land: south of the farm, to the west of Edgwarebury Lane, is Edgwarebury Park, a 12-hectare (30-acre) recreation ground described by the London Borough of Barnet as one of its premier parks; to the south-west is a portion of Metropolitan Open Space, known locally as the Edgware Roughs; and across Edgwarebury Lane is a cemetery opened in 1974.

Species
BIRDS Common Buzzard are regularly seen over the site and other raptors recorded in and around the site include Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Peregrine, Kestrel, Hobby and Little Owl. Hobby have bred on the threatened part of the site for about 20 years, as have Lapwing. Other endangered species on the site include Skylark, Linnet, Song Thrush and Reed Bunting. The site also attracts autumn passage migrants such as Wheatear, Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail and Ring Ouzel.

OTHER VERTEBRATES Mammals found on the site include badger, rabbit and several species of bat (including common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle and noctule). Reptiles include grass snake and slow worm, and amphibians include great crested newt.

INVERTEBRATES Information needed, please

Practicalities
DIRECTIONS By car, the site is most easily reached by turning north off the A41 into Edgwarebury Lane. Parking is difficult elsewhere near the site. By London Underground, the nearest station is Edgware (Northern Line), from which bus route 288 will take you to the Broadfields Estate, which is close to the site. And routes 107, 113 and 186 will take you to the junction of Edgwarebury Lane and Edgware Way (A41), which is only a short walk from the site.

ACCESS The site is accessible at all times.

FACILITIES A few shops and a cafe can be found nearby in Glengall Avenue, while the centre of Edgware has a range of shops, restaurants and supermarkets.

External links and resources
Broadfields Estate Residents Association

Listings
Can anyone offer a list their Bury Farm sightings?

Category:Local Patches