Council tree officer ignoring trees in TPO

[ArthurJob]

Hi richyrich,

Sadly it does feel that way. When I spoke to him on the phone he really sounded like he couldn't be bothered. He maintained there were no trees at all where the buildings would be and I insisted there were some saplings and he just laughed it off saying the committee wouldn't care or take him seriously if he mentioned them. I mentioned the two very tall Birch trees and he said "they'll give you some privacy then" but aren't shown on any of the plans so assume they'd be lost. He just moaned about how busy he was and all the stuff he had to deal with and sounded really fed up. He also said how he tried to get some Birch trees protected behind his property and couldn't so sounded a bit bitter. His first comments proposed losing one plot and the landowner called and shouted at him just before I spoke to him and so was irritable about that.

 

The councillors are all opposed to it and have objected. They held a meeting with loads of residents about it as well. They have been good with updates.

[richyrich]

1 hour ago, ArthurJob said:

Hi richyrich,

Sadly it does feel that way. When I spoke to him on the phone he really sounded like he couldn't be bothered. He maintained there were no trees at all where the buildings would be and I insisted there were some saplings and he just laughed it off saying the committee wouldn't care or take him seriously if he mentioned them. I mentioned the two very tall Birch trees and he said "they'll give you some privacy then" but aren't shown on any of the plans so assume they'd be lost. He just moaned about how busy he was and all the stuff he had to deal with and sounded really fed up. He also said how he tried to get some Birch trees protected behind his property and couldn't so sounded a bit bitter. His first comments proposed losing one plot and the landowner called and shouted at him just before I spoke to him and so was irritable about that.

 

The councillors are all opposed to it and have objected. They held a meeting with loads of residents about it as well. They have been good with updates.

It will prob be decided at planning committee by sounds of it. If you can get a councillor to speak against at the meeting should help alot. The council 'experts' such as highways officers, i have found in my area are as thick as pig shit when it comes to basic observations. Hopefully commonsense of planning committee, etc. will go in your favour. and ignore the tree officer's opinion.Throw as much info, support, etc at the committee. When the final planning report is released in the days prior to committee then lobby the committee members. 👍✌

[richyrich]

At committee get your best spokesperson to talk for the allocated 5minute(?) with sound objections of why it contravenes NPPF - google nppf. 

What is the point in a group TPO if some a hole can apply to clear it and build on it...Phrase it slightly more politely...

[ArthurJob]

Thanks richyrich, really appreciated.

The main councillor (been in position since 2005) was the vice chair of the planning committee until about a month ago having been on there for several years I believe so hopefully is a strong force in our favour. He has put in a great objection and is going to speak at the committee he said. I have the feeling I may have been delegated as the speaker if it goes to committee (can you only have one resident doing that?) but hopefully we'll have another 'residents meeting' which might be better attended than the last as we were a bit wary of the 30 outdoor limit.

I had a look round there yesterday and there is a really nice mix of Oak, Alder, Ash and Birch with Hawthorn inbetween which is covered in blossom at the moment. The largest oak there has already reached a good size, about 8 metres. What is ridiculous is that the council has recently done a tree planting scheme and there are small saplings with protection scattered around green spaces in the area yet they're looking at wiping out trees growing for 20 years. There's a sapling planted on the adjacent green space about 100 metres away. In the space subject to the application I saw butterflies and dragonflies there yesterday, apparently the ecological side is being considered at the moment as the local wildlife trust pointed out it was urban forest, a PSI and no ecological impact assessment has been done, it's also a crucial linkage as part of a wildlife corridor.

I'll devise a good speech with the councillor and do as best we can. As long as I have put up a fight that's the main thing, didn't want to just sit back and do nothing.

[ArthurJob]

I hear what you're saying about highways officers, the houses would be on a bend in the road where people cross to a dog bin and to continue a footpath as well as there being kids playing football in the middle bit and always running out into the road. There are trees and bushes affecting the view around that corner and it'll mean loads of cars parking on the bend as visitors come round as well as people parking there already still using it. My neighbour pointed out as well that a garage and driveway will mean cars pulling out from behind a fence as people come down a road and is an accident waiting to happen as no way would you see them coming out into a joining street with 22 houses in the top bit.

[richyrich]

I think hopefully it could go your way...

I think it's only one objector allowed to speak. Also i think the councillor can voice his concerns. Keep us posted and fingers crossed🌲

[richyrich]

In villages the Parish Council rep. can speak- not sure proceedure in towns..whether that's role of town councillor?

[richyrich]

On 07/06/2021 at 20:25, ArthurJob said:

I hear what you're saying about highways officers, the houses would be on a bend in the road where people cross to a dog bin and to continue a footpath as well as there being kids playing football in the middle bit and always running out into the road. There are trees and bushes affecting the view around that corner and it'll mean loads of cars parking on the bend as visitors come round as well as people parking there already still using it. My neighbour pointed out as well that a garage and driveway will mean cars pulling out from behind a fence as people come down a road and is an accident waiting to happen as no way would you see them coming out into a joining street with 22 houses in the top bit.

Highways used to be very particular in North Yorks. Recently i think some of their decisions are outright irresponsible regards road safety.

[ArthurJob]

Hi richyrich, thanks for the positive comments. I am actually meeting with the local MP and ward councillors about it along with many other residents. The councillors are basically are Parish Council rep I'd say as it's a large metropolitan area broken up into different wards. They're all Conservative and the council is Conservative run as well.

I actually found a photo of the TPO notices that were posted on site and edited them so you can see the terms in which the TPO was applied e.g. for visual amenity protection in the face of potential future development.... so I am still in the thinking the age/size of trees wouldn't matter if that was the case as surely young and small trees in a planed woodland could be considered on the basis of visual amenity?