Town council challenge Wiltshire Council over tree fellings

WESTBURY Town Council has challenged Wiltshire Council about their continued granting of tree felling applications, despite declaring a climate emergency. 

The action follows a meeting of Westbury Town Council’s highways, planning and development committee who noted that Wiltshire Council regularly approves planning applications to fell healthy trees, to which the committee objected.

But the issue has highlighted the outdated Government legislation relating to tree felling which dates back 50 years.

In reply to the town council’s criticisms, Wiltshire Council said, “The council’s planning powers in relation to the felling of trees are strictly limited to national legislation. The council only has powers in relation to trees that are in conservation areas or that are protected by Tree Preservation Orders. Any other tree can be removed by the landowner without the council’s consent. 

“With regard to trees protected by preservation orders, felling is not normally permitted unless the tree has reached the end of its natural lifespan, or has become diseased or dangerous. Where felling is agreed, a replacement is normally sought. 

“The council rarely intervenes, as most notices that we receive relate to trees that are often in back gardens, or are conifers, with limited public visibility and little or no contribution to the character of the conservation area. 

“Retaining a tree simply as a response to climate change is not possible under current legislation, which was drafted 50 years ago as a response to protection of the nation’s heritage, and not climate change. 

“In terms of increasing the number of trees, the council does seek to negotiate landscaping schemes on major new developments that include significant numbers of new trees to both improve the appearance and setting of new developments, and to promote net biodiversity gain. 

“In relation to electoral promises, the council awaits announcements by the Government on how it intends to bring forward proposals to meet these commitments and will engage with these when they are brought forward.”

Further correspondence to Westbury Town Council from Wiltshire Council has given them tips and guidelines in order for the council to apply for tree preservation orders (TPO) on trees Westbury wants to keep. However, they say these must be done in a timely manner once an application to fell any tree has been made.