Men at work

Taking the long-but-not-especially-scenic route into Shipley (combining an essential visit to the bank with my daily lockdown exercise), I crossed the River Aire over Baildon Bridge. The riverside footpath here has been closed for a while. I heard there had been a small landslip. There were men at work, either trimming branches or felling a few small trees that are awkwardly sprouting from underneath the footpath. It's always sad to see trees being lopped but I suppose safety has to be the prime consideration. Things self-seed and then just get too big and heavy for where they're growing. Those wood chipping machines that they feed the branches into make a heck of a noise! It was that that alerted me to the work initially, rather than spotting the orange jacket in the tree. Rather him than me, especially hanging over the river! 

A few yards further on, I noticed they have started to level the waste ground I posted about in November (HERE). The plans for a new retail park, including a Lidl supermarket and a drive-through Costa Coffee, were approved by Bradford planners in late November, despite being opposed by our local Shipley Town Council.  

I also note that planners have approved the demolition of an empty industrial works by the canal on Victoria Street, to make way for a 66 bed residential care unit for the elderly. It'll be ready by the time I need it, I guess! Though I don't know if I could bear to spend my last days staring across the road at the dilapidated old red brick British Waterways warehouse (below)! I wish they'd do something about that.