Councillors have upheld a decision to protect hundreds of trees at a much-loved wildlife haven from being felled by quarry owner Hanson. The company has applied for planning permission to build a haulage road at its Chipping Sodbury site, which would involve removing a swathe of woodland at a site of nature conservation interest.
It was only when this was submitted in April that South Gloucestershire Council officers realised the trees were not protected and could be chopped down, so they issued a tree preservation order spanning a total of 4,105 square metres across two sites. Hanson objected, calling the decision “disappointing” and arguing the order, which covers land either side of Brinsham Lane and another off Gravel Hill Road North, was unnecessary because it had proven itself to be a responsible landowner over 150 years in the area.
But the development management committee upheld the TPO. However, it is only a temporary reprieve because it would be overridden if members subsequently grant permission for the road linking Southfields and Brinsham West quarries, the meeting heard.
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Yate town councillor Chris Willmore told members many of the trees under threat were at a SNCI which was the highest designation in South Gloucestershire Council’s powers. She said: “Your tree officer has looked at the trees and said these trees need protection until that planning application is determined.
“If at that time you grant consent for the haul road then the trees will go. But we are asking you to please preserve the status quo and protect those trees so that when you as a planning committee come to take the decision on whether to allow the quarry haul road, those trees are still there.
“You can then take a decision about the environmental impact rather than having those trees unprotected, in which case they may go before you get the chance to take a decision.” A resident told the committee: “We are extremely disappointed and concerned that there has been an objection to this perfectly logical decision to cover these trees with a TPO.
“This is a well-known wildlife corridor in an SNCI area and these trees play an important role in supporting the wildlife in the area when there has been so much development squeezing their natural habitat beyond acceptable levels. The TPO might only be a temporary protection but nonetheless a vital one.
“We cannot trust the landowner not to take the trees out now. If they did, these trees would be lost forever, which would be totally unacceptable.
“The mere fact they are objecting is of grave concern and the TPOs should remain firmly in place.” Hanson consenting and development manager Trystan Mabbitt told members the firm had been a “key cornerstone” in Chipping Sodbury since the late 19th century and managed 450 acres around its quarry responsibly.
He said: “We will follow due process in every single regard and it is not our intention to wilfully cut down trees. If nothing else, what we do is to seek to protect that environment.
“We have no intention of wilfully destroying any trees because it’s primarily us that has put them there in the first place. We have requirements in terms of ash dieback and roadside trees which are often classed as dangerous and we seek to undertake those requirements in line with legislation and not be underhanded in any way.
“There is an application to come before the committee which will be considered on its merits at the time.” A council officer said: “The quantity of trees proposed to be removed through the planning application was sufficient to warrant a TPO.
“Should the planning application be determined positively it would override the TPO. The TPO is justified purely because there are no constraints on the trees at this time to stop them from being removed.”
Cllr Mike Bell said: “Hanson has a good record on the environment but just delaying this until the application comes in does not handicap them, so I support the application by the council.”
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