The owner of a site in Buckinghamshire where 'harmful' tree felling appeared to have been taking place for 'no clear reason' has defended the work, claiming that it was removing 'spoil and rubbish'.
Paul Jennings, chair of the River Chess Association, spotted what looked like a "new development site" between Moor Road and Chesham Railway in Chesham last week, despite the absence of a corresponding planning application online.
The development, which appeared to comprise large-scale tree felling, also caught the attention of Buckinghamshire Council, and the local authority issued a Tree Preservation Order for the site on Friday, January 26, halting what Paul believed was an attempt to sidestep normal planning regulations and “do all the work they could get away with before dealing with the law”.
Now, however, the landowner of the site, a Berkshire-based company called JadePlant Forest has disputed claims that its actions were destructive to the local environment, claiming that the work had been undertaken to "remove over 100 tonnes of spoil and rubbish" from the area whilst "exploring suitable uses for the backland site adjacent to the Chess Business Park and Metropolitan Line".
A spokesperson for the company said they were complying fully with the Tree Preservation Order, but added that the already-completed work had already put "long-lasting environmental improvements" including reduced groundwater contamination in place.
They said the landowner is planning to work with a professional arborist and comply with a Biodiversity Net Gain requirement ahead of submitting any formal plans for the site.
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Henry Lamprecht, Chief Executive Officer of the Community Communications Partnership said: “Our client is a reputable firm and is heavily committed to conserving and improving the environment. The work will not only improve the site directly but will ensure that rubbish doesn’t end up in the River Chess.
“An integral part of a future planning application will be the discussion with the local community, and the applicant remains fully committed to the planting of native trees and enhancing nature on the Moor Road site.”
The tree preservation order issued last week stated that the trees between Moor Road and the Railway made “an important visual and ecological contribution to the River Chess, an internationally important chalk stream”, adding that the reasons for the felling works were “not clear” and thus were considered to be “excessive and harmful in terms of tree health and amenity”.
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