Mykolaiv residents collect 500 signatures to appeal to mayor over plans to build a gas station in the green zone

Residents of Ingul district oppose the construction of a land plot between the «Zorya» plant and high-rise buildings. Photo: «_nikvesti»

Residents of Ingulskyi district appealed to the mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Senkevych, to stop the construction of a petrol station «OKKO» at the intersection of Bohoyavlenskyi Avenue and Kobera Street.

The relevant appeal to the mayor is available at « NikVesti».

In the letter, residents of the district and employees of JSC NVKT «Zorya»-«Mashproekt» oppose the planned felling of 182 trees, including oaks 40-60 years old. The local community emphasises that this area is a green zone, and the destruction of trees will worsen the environmental situation, especially in an area where there are already industrial enterprises.

«Our multi-storey buildings on Kobera Lane and the adjacent private sector streets of Sadky are located directly adjacent to the JSC NPKG plant «Zorya»-«Mashproekt», which has galvanic and metallurgical production. It was to prevent environmental degradation that an oak grove was planted around the plant 60 years ago as the best tree protector. In addition, other enterprises are located around the neighbourhood, such as the Institute of Pulse Technologies, a dairy plant, an oil depot, and food processing facilities. Their activities also affect the ecological system of the neighbourhood», - write local residents.

The authors of the appeal note that the land previously had the status of a green zone, and no environmental impact assessment was carried out before the decision to cut down the trees was made. In the letter, they ask the authorities to stop the construction and preserve the greenery. The appeal was supported by 512 local residents.

A copy of the local residents' appeal to Oleksandr Senkevych

A copy of the appeal of local residents to Oleksandr Senkevych

Copy of the appeal of local residents to Oleksandr Senkevych

As a reminder, preparatory works for the construction of «OKKO» filling stations and shops have started in the Ingul district of Mykolaiv. The site is located at the intersection of Bohoyavlensky Avenue and Kobera Street. On 7 May, the contractor and a representative of the State Environmental Inspectorate inspected the site. According to estimates, 182 trees - mostly oaks aged 40-60 years - are to be destroyed for the project.

An oak grove at the intersection of Bohoyavlenskyi Avenue and Kobera Lane, where a petrol station is to be built, photo by NikVesti

An oak grove at the intersection of Bohoyavlenskyi Avenue and Kobera Lane, where a petrol station is to be built, photo by NikVesti

An oak grove at the intersection of Bohoyavlenskyi Avenue and Kobera Lane, where a petrol station is to be built, photo by NikVesti

A year ago, the City Council first approved the actual renewal of the lease of a 7,643 square metre land plot to the Lviv-based company «Svitlo Zdorovia», formally for the construction of a sports and recreation centre and maintenance of administrative buildings. Two months after this decision, the city council approved a change in the land plot's designated purpose to the placement and operation of road service facilities. Both issues were submitted to the session as part of the «package» with other land issues and were adopted without discussion.

Scandalous construction in Ingul district

The story around the construction on Kobera Street began in 2014. At that time, the company «Svit Zdorovya» received a land plot near «Zorya»-«Mashproekt» for the construction of a sports and recreation complex. Some of the trees on the territory were cut down back then.

Advertising

In March 2014, the then acting mayor, Yuriy Granaturov, publicly acknowledged during a meeting of the city executive committee that the situation raised many questions and stated that construction was suspended until the feasibility of the project was clarified. Nevertheless, according to local residents, work continued, mostly at night.

In January 2015, the conflict escalated. Residents of houses located on Kobera Street and employees of the plant «Zorya»-«Mashproekt», came out to protest. They claimed that a petrol station was being built on the site of the complex, despite the fact that according to the documents, it was supposed to be a health centre. According to them, construction continued at night despite a ban from the city council. They complained about the cutting down of about 100 trees in the park area, trenches in their yards and the disruption of the ecological balance in the industrial area.

As early as 28 January 2015, Mykolaiv City Council refused to extend the lease of the land plot to «Svit Zdorovye».