To consider confirming the Tree Preservation Order.
Additional documents:
Decision:
To confirm the order without amendments.
Minutes:
A Group of Trees
a) The
Enforcement Team Leader elaborated on the background of the application, and
noted that a Temporary Tree Preservation Order had been
issued for two groups of trees, located to the north of Tyddyn Meilir, on 8 December
2020. It was explained that an assessment of both groups had been completed
using the TEMPO system - any tree(s) scoring 16 points or higher would merit
being safeguarded. It was reported that
Group 1 (including 25 Beech trees) had scored 18 points, and Group 2 (including
32 beech, 2 sycamores and 1 oak with the beech trees pollarded
into a hedge) had scored 16 points. It was considered
that the trees were of a high amenity value.
It
was noted that objection to the temporary order had been received from the
Local Member, the landowner along with a letter from the Farmers' Union of
Wales (dated 3 March 2021) supporting the landowner's objection. Having
received the objections to the order, further consultation had
been held with the Biodiversity Service and attention was drawn to the
comments received in 4.4 of the report. It was considered
that a hedge had existed on the site in the past, but due to probable lack of
hedge management, the site now consisted of a row of beech trees. It was accepted that the landowner wished to bring the trees
under control, but it was emphasised that any work should be carried out by
adopting good practice methods. It was highlighted
that work had been undertaken to prune some of the trees before the temporary
order had been issued.
The
trees had been inspected on 9 February 2021
accompanied by the landowner, and it was noted that several trees had rot and
holes in their trunks. However, it appeared that alternative maintenance methods
to pruning were possible (with appropriate specialist advice) which would mean
that the trees could be preserved, whilst at the same time providing
unobstructed access to the landowner to farm the land, and maintain the pasture
and field boundaries. Reference was made to the 4
options the Committee had and it was recommended that the Committee should
select option (i), namely to confirm the order
without changes.
b) Taking advantage of the right to speak, the landowner noted the
following points and provided a short video of the trees and their condition
·
He emphasised that his intention was to
prune the trees, not to fell them - this would extend
the trees' lifespan as many of them were rotting.
·
Many
branches had come down in recent years and fallen into the road
·
He had begun pruning before the order was issued - pruning to a height of 10' - 12' - they had
originally been pruned into a hedge.
·
A number of
trees required trimming
·
It was highlighted in the video that a number of trees were
rotting and there were fungus on a few of them.
· If they were not pruned, the trees would become ... view the full minutes text for item 6