Malvern Business Faces Penalties for Illegally Cutting Down Protected Woodland
A Malvern business has been fined for illegally cutting down protected trees and must replant nearly 800 trees as part of the ruling
Malvern, UK, Protected Woodland, Tree Preservation Order, Illegal Tree Felling
Malvern: J Prosser and Son has been hit with a hefty fine of over £7,600 for chopping down protected trees. They also have to plant nearly 800 new trees.
This haulage and excavation company was taken to court last November. The case was heard in Kidderminster County Court.
The trouble started back in May 2021 when the Malvern Hills District Council got wind of some illegal tree work happening on Lower Howsell Road, near the old gas works site.
When the council officers checked it out, they found that about 5,500 square meters of protected woodland had been cut down. That’s a big no-no under the Town and Country Planning Act.
The trees were protected by a Tree Preservation Order from 2015, and the company didn’t even bother to apply for permission to do the work.
In court, they admitted to the illegal felling and were fined £2,677. On top of that, they had to cover the council’s costs, which added up to £4,812, plus a victim surcharge of £190. All in all, that’s £7,679.
They’ve also been ordered to plant just under 800 native trees at their own expense, and they need to get that done in this planting season.
Cllr David Harrison from the council said this case serves as a warning about the serious consequences of unauthorized tree felling. It can really hurt the local environment and biodiversity.
He urged everyone to learn the rules and stick to them to protect our green spaces.