Back in March 2019 the Society had been happy to support the Woodland Order TPO notice served by the SHDC Tree Office that covered an extensive area of woodland that included the application site.

The Order had been served In the interests of preserving the significant public visual amenity benefits of the subject trees which presently serve to add extensive varied amenity benefits as large and mature wooded groups to the wider sylvan setting of the area as amplified by the open coastal aspect, woodland size and multiple instances of local medium and long range view receptors.

Our concern was that this application was proposing excessive tree work, specifically the removal of four mature trees, that would detrimentally erode and degrade the area of woodland and consequently compromise the integrity, purpose and function of the TPO.

The Tree Officer agreed, and the Decision Notice refusing the application stated:

In light of the amenity value of the tree(s) and the significant impact that the proposed works will have on this amenity value, the Council refuses consent having given due consideration to the reasons put forward in support of the application. The Council does not consider that the reasons put forward outweigh the impact the proposed works will have on the amenity value of the tree(s).

The applicant appealed. According to the Planning Inspector: 'The main issues are the effect of the proposed tree works on the character and appearance of the area, and whether sufficient justification has been demonstrated for those works.'

While remaining mindful of the importance of good woodland management the Inspector dismissed the appeal, concluding 'The essential need for the works applied for must be weighed against the resultant loss to the amenity of the area. In this case, the proposed felling of the trees would result in harm to the character and appearance of the area, and, in my judgement, insufficient justification has been demonstrated for the proposed works.'