Agenda item

Mixed woodland with mature trees 

LOCAL MEMBERS: Councillor R Medwyn Hughes and Councillor Huw Wyn Jones

No link to application

DECISION: To confirm the order with changes.

Mixed woodland with mature trees

Attention was drawn to the late observations form.

a)     Unlike the usual applications, the Planning Manager highlighted that it was not for a planning application. It was explained that Members needed to consider whether or not a Tree Preservation Order should be confirmed on land in College Park, Ffordd Deiniol, Bangor. The application was submitted to the Committee after receiving objections to the proposal. Attention was drawn to the fact that the wording in the English version of the order had been revised - that tree T1 was 'Yew’ and tree T2 was ‘Lime’.

A Temporary Tree Preservation Order had been placed on two individual trees, five groups of trees and one woodland in the location.  An assessment of the trees was completed using the TEMPO system (Tree Evaluation Method for Preservation Orders) and the trees scored 23 points - the system noted that any trees that scored 16 points or more merited being protected. Although the site was within a conservation area, and therefore the trees already had an element of protection, it had been decided to issue a temporary tree preservation order in this case as it was considered that the trees and the woodland were of high amenity value and were very visible within the townscape, and also formed an important feature within the town centre. It was reiterated that the area also merited specific protection as there was a direct threat to the trees due to proposed development work within the park area, along with work that had already been carried out on trees within the site without the prior necessary consent.

Since the time of writing the report, it was highlighted that a planning application (which included improvement work to College Park - new footpaths, street furniture, lighting and associated landscaping that was partly located within the area of the Temporary Tree Preservation Order) had been approved. In considering that planning application, the impact on trees had been fully assessed, and the proposed work was acceptable; however, the planning permission did not change the situation in terms of the tree order and it was considered that the need for protection for the remaining trees, by confirming the order, was necessary. It was explained that the decision on the planning application showed that imposing an order on a tree or trees did not prevent the ability to carry out any work on those trees. Rather, imposing an order was an effective way of ensuring that no unnecessary or destructive work was carried out directly to, or close to, trees that made an important contribution to our local environment.

Four options were presented to the Committee to consider

1. Confirm the order as it stands, without amendments

2. Confirm with amendments

3. Not confirm

4. Conduct a public inquiry.

b)     It was proposed and seconded to confirm the order without changes.

Taking advantage of the right to speak, the Local Member made the following observations:

·         It was a shame that the University had not applied for a reserve before proposing improvements to the Park - it did not listen to the observations of local people

·         Supported the need to protect the trees

RESOLVED to confirm the order with changes.