Agenda item

Gary Cowan asked the Executive Member for Environment and Leisure the following question:


Question

It was brought to my attention that several trees have just been felled in a protected copse opposite 10/12 Barker Close RG2 9NQ, which is privately owned land.  I was very surprised to find out after the trees were felled that this Council gave permission to a local resident to fell these protected trees on land not in their ownership.

 

As the ward Member, I was not made aware of this.  Also I am not aware of any site visit by the Council yet I have been informed that the permission to cut down these trees was based on a survey which I have never seen and which I would appreciate a copy of.

 

Can you explain why and if the Council permitted to do allow the felling of protected trees on private land to someone who is not the landowner but a private resident?

 

Minutes:


Question

It was brought to my attention that several trees have just been felled in a protected copse opposite 10/12 Barker Close RG2 9NQ, which is privately owned land.  I was very surprised to find out after the trees were felled that this Council gave permission to a local resident to fell these protected trees on land not in their ownership.

 

As the Ward Member, I was not made aware of this.  Also, I am not aware of any site visit by the Council yet I have been informed that the permission to cut down these trees was based on a survey which I have never seen and which I would appreciate a copy of.

 

Can you explain why and if the Council permitted to allow the felling of protected trees on private land to someone who is not the landowner but a private resident.

 

Answer

The decision to approve this Tree Works Applications (TWA) was not based upon a survey provided by the applicant but the professional assessment of the Council’s Senior Tree Officer assesses, which includes a site visit.  This assessment informs her decision which is given in the decision letter. The Tree Officer's comments are not always included in the decision letter but often are.

 

In this instance, removal of trees covered by the TPO 1449/2012 was on health and safety grounds.  The birch (T6), had a large main stem cavity with extensive decay - the 'target', had the tree failed catastrophically, was a domestic garden.  T7, another birch, had excessive lean towards the adjacent property and the root plate had started to lift with fresh soil cracking around it.  Again the 'target' was a domestic garden.  The Council will in the future ensure that the phrase ‘removal consented on health and safety grounds’ is included in the decision letter where appropriate.

 

The goat willows on site, some of which were subject to the application, would not have been present at the time of the TPO (and therefore not covered by the Area TPO).  They were included in the approval in order to make the extent of the works clear to the applicant and the public.

 

The tree works applications are available online and Councillors are sent a hard copy in the internal mail.  Records on CIVICA from the Registration Team indicate that the relevant Councillor and the Parish Council were sent a record of this application on 30th April 2019.  The decision letter was issued on 6th June.

 

Supplementary Question:

I have no record of a correspondence concerning the TPO, nor to my knowledge have any of the neighbours, so I would question that point.  I did ask for the Officers’ survey which the eventual reply was that the decision letter does not always include one, as the Executive Member did say.  Without having any record of this how can we have checks and balances as to what is and what is not?  More critically the decision letter to the tree surgeon states that to prune trees T1, T2 and 33, all protected trees, to protect the sunlight and aesthetics, and this is private trees on private land.  My concern is if the reason to prune trees on private land, what hope has the Council got to deliver on climate emergency when it approves the pruning of TPO trees for aesthetic reasons on someone else’s land?  I have no idea what has been pruned or cut down but I do know it was done in the bird nesting season.  Can I ask if the Council will revisit the site as soon as possible and establish what trees have been cut down, what has been pruned, establish why it was done in bird nesting season and let me know.

 

Supplementary Answer:

Yes, I can do that no problem.