Moreton trees protected from development (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Moreton trees protected from development

12:00pm Sunday 21st October 2012 in News By Ian Craig

A ROW of trees on the outskirts of Moreton-in-Marsh has been protected from being cut down if a proposed care home development goes forward.

A tree preservation order (TPO) was imposed on the nine oaks, three ash trees and two maples on land to the rear of Stow Road following a planning application by Minton Health Care Ltd to build 54 retirement homes and a 48-bed care home on the site.

Although the application was refused by Cotswold District Council’s planning committee, the order was enforced following concerns the application would be re-submitted.

Speaking at last week’s meeting of CDC’s appeals committee, Adam Simpkins, representing Minton Health Care, said the developer only hoped to remove one of the trees – a 20-year-old oak – and argued the TPO should remain in place for all the trees except this one.

“We are hoping to replace it with another in another place with better public amenity,” he said.

CDC’s tree officer Mark Berry said the TPO was not served to prevent development, but to make sure they were included in any construction in the area.

After a private discussion, the three-person committee decided to enforce the TPO on all 14 trees, with chairman Cllr Mark Arnett (Con, Campden-Vale) adding it could be discussed, and possibly overturned, by the council’s planning committee if any future planning application was made.