Tree preservation order on new housing estate as developer brands move 'unnecessary'

Haygate Fields, a 289-home development on the west side of Wellington, received planning permission three years ago and the developers’ tree specialists say veteran, mature and semi-mature oaks – which date back at least 140 years – are being protected from damage during construction.

Telford and Wrekin Council placed a provisional tree protection order on 14 of them and a 15th tree, a sycamore, which has since been felled due to its poor condition. That has now been made permanent.

Senior arboricultural consultant Mark Mackworth-Praed argued, on behalf of Vistry Homes and Anwyl Construction, that planning conditions already offered protection, but council Tree and Woodland Officer Gavin Onions said there had been continual breaches.

Mr Mackworth-Praed, of David Archer Associates, wrote that the trees in question had been successfully retained within the context of the new development, in most cases within the generous areas of amenity open space within the scheme.

He said all but three are in areas which have been successfully completed and landscaped, and are now no longer potentially subject to encroachment or possible damage as a result of construction operations. The remaining three, he added, were satisfactorily protected by robust enclosures of temporary protective fencing encompassing their root protection areas.

“It is hard to understand why the local planning authority has only now considered it necessary to impose statutory protection on the trees by means of a TPO when their retention, and future continuing landscape contribution, have already been secured and assured both through the planning of the development and adherence to appropriate protective measures during construction,” Mr Mackworth-Praed wrote.

Responding to the objection, Mr Onions disagreed that the trees were now safe from encroachment and potential damage.

“An excavator, dumper truck and roller have continually tracked across the root protection areas of four trees and unauthorised work had been carried out on them, he said, adding that he felt it wholly appropriate to impose the TPO."

“Even though the development may have finished in certain areas, these trees are still open to damage and construction activity by the contractors,” he wrote.

John Pattinson of the Haygate Fields Group, which represents residents living near the new development, urged the committee to confirm the TPO. He said he and his neighbours had watched with despair as the housebuilders and their subcontractors have pressed on regardless without protecting the trees.

He said this was particularly apparent with the tree marked T1 on the order map, the only oak in the group classed as a veteran, which stands to the far south of the 37-acre site facing Haygate Road.

“We have witnessed inadequate protection, equipment and plant left by its side, and unauthorised changes to the level of the site which mean the tree is left in a pool of water for much of the winter,” he said.

The committee voted unanimously to confirm the TPO.