PLANNING officials are taking legal action after a housing developer felled a 100-year-old oak tree at a housing development in Startforth.
Durham County Council planning officers say they will also issue emergency tree protection orders on a number of other trees at the Castle Croft site after Kier Living felled a mature tree that was supposed to be retained as part of planning consent.
Four years ago Kier Living, as part of planning approval to build 162 homes on land adjacent to Deerbolt Young Offenders’ Institution, was told to provide a detailed plan of the site indicating the trees to be retained – among them were number of mature native broadleaf species.
Before any building work could start, five metre protection zones were required to mitigate against any damage to the trees and roots.
However, last month workmen, back on site following the easing of lockdown restrictions, felled a 12-metre oak tree.
Startforth Park resident Allan Royds said he saw workmen tending to the tree, close to the fenced boundary on the western side of the site, adjacent to the new access road for Deerbolt. He assumed they were carrying out “branch lifting” work.
Mr Royds said: “It’s absolutely tragic. I was walking my dog and when I went back in the afternoon it was gone. It was about 100 years old and there were protection barriers around it, but they were thrown to one side and all that’s left is an orange stump and some sawdust.”
Mrs Royds tried reporting the felling to Durham County Council immediately but said its website was down for maintenance. When he tried contacting staff by telephone he was told planning officers were not available as they were working from home.
Mr Royds added: “Apart from the fact it shouldn’t have been knocked down, it’s the wrong time of year to cut trees back or down because of nesting birds and it would have needed a bat survey first as well. First we had Taylor Wimpey and now we have them [Kier] down the bottom. It is disgrace. They are turning Startforth into an urban suburb. They must have felled so many trees on the site. If they do put any replacements in, it will be with weedy trees.”
Steve Reed, Durham County Council’s planning development manager, said: “Our planning officers have visited the site and established that an oak tree that was required to be retained as part of the development has regrettably been removed.
“Officers are now instigating formal enforcement action to seek a replacement tree of the highest standard available. In addition, we are taking necessary steps to serve an emergency tree preservation order to provide additional protection to important retained trees on site.”
A spokesperson for Kier said: “We aim to deliver quality new homes for our customers in accordance with local planning guidelines and are sorry that on this occasion we have fallen short of our usual high standards as a tree that was set to be retained as part of the Castle Croft development, have been felled.
“Unfortunately, the tree had been damaged and after taking advice from an arboriculture consultant it was decided to remove it. We can confirm that we have measures in place to safeguard the other retained trees on site and we will be fully co-operating with the council on this matter.”
