Felling license clarity

[Dillinger86]

Hi,

I got consent in a conservation area to fell close to 50 sycamore trees surrounding paddock land for horses.

I've done planning and got permission from the LPA, I'm putting the brakes on mainly due to weather but think I better apply for a felling license too. Not sure if I require this alongside permission from LPA. 

Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

[Dan Maynard]

Is it a garden ?

 

Are you going to fell them all at once? The LPA permission should be 2 years so don't need to, if you stay below quarterly allowance then no need for felling licence.

 

So, it depends.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Dan Maynard

[Dillinger86]

No it’s the surrounding land around the paddocks so definately not the garden. I’ve taken about 5cbm down already and stopped as I thought it was an ongoing project but the client is now wanting them all down due to her horses but I won’t proceed without getting official go ahead

Edited November 21, 2022 by Dillinger86

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

For the love of God....

 

50 trees to be removed because of an ignorant recreational saddle wanker.

 

Tell her if she feeds and tends her horses properly they won't eat Sycamore seeds and the probability of harm is directly proportional to her attention and care for her horses!

 

• Feed forage, such as hay in parched fields, off of floor in haynets or feed racks
• Do not over stock fields so horses have access to good grass
• Limit turnout, ideally keeping horses in over night
• Section off areas around poisonous trees and collect and dispose of leaves and seeds safely away from horses
• Remove young sapling plants
• Be vigilant of the potential signs of this disease and act quickly if your horse becomes poorly
• Ensure you check your horse multiple times a day
• Check your insurance cover for veterinary care is up to date

 

Sycamore seeds — what’s the risk to my horse and how do I get rid of them? - Horse & Hound

WWW.HORSEANDHOUND.CO.UK

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Sycamore poisoning, or atypical myopathy, caused by the ingestion of sycamore seeds or seedlings can be fatal to...

 

[Dillinger86]

1 minute ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

For the love of God....

 

50 trees to be removed because of an ignorant recreational saddle wanker.

 

Tell her if she feeds and tends her horses properly they won't eat Sycamore seeds and the probability of harm is directly proportional to her attention and care for her horses!

 

• Feed forage, such as hay in parched fields, off of floor in haynets or feed racks
• Do not over stock fields so horses have access to good grass
• Limit turnout, ideally keeping horses in over night
• Section off areas around poisonous trees and collect and dispose of leaves and seeds safely away from horses
• Remove young sapling plants
• Be vigilant of the potential signs of this disease and act quickly if your horse becomes poorly
• Ensure you check your horse multiple times a day
• Check your insurance cover for veterinary care is up to date

 

Sycamore seeds — what’s the risk to my horse and how do I get rid of them? - Horse & Hound

WWW.HORSEANDHOUND.CO.UK

---

Sycamore poisoning, or atypical myopathy, caused by the ingestion of sycamore seeds or seedlings can be fatal to...

 

 

I know I've been over all of this with her, it is somewhat of an extreme reaction to take them all down. The surrounding woodland area is dense with Beech yew and ash and maple so they're unlikely to be missed on the landscape, point being that we're on the 5cbm limit for this quarter so without a felling license I don't believe we can proceed....

[Squaredy]

13 minutes ago, Dillinger86 said:

we're on the 5cbm limit for this quarter so without a felling license I don't believe we can proceed....

I am no expert either, but I have always understood that over 5 cube felling per quarter a felling licence is required.  Only exception I am aware of is stems under 8cm, possibly gardens, and trees posing an immediate danger. Being potentially poisonous to pets is irrelevant as far as the law is concerned.

 

FC will soon tell you or the owner if you ask them.  

[Dan Maynard]

Just rereading the guidance and even if you do it gradually at 5cu a quarter the onus is on you to prove no more than 5 was felled in any one quarter if they should investigate afterwards. 

 

As above, I would definitely stop and get in touch with FC.

[Dillinger86]

9 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

Just rereading the guidance and even if you do it gradually at 5cu a quarter the onus is on you to prove no more than 5 was felled in any one quarter if they should investigate afterwards. 

 

As above, I would definitely stop and get in touch with FC.

I don't really want to do it gradually I'd rather just get the permission. I think there's about 5 cbm there and that's where I'm stopping.

[GarethM]

Getting the permission will be less trouble for you in the long term. As if you keep going back it'll end up biting you on the arse.

 

End of the day the customer is going to do it regardless, either legally via you or a fly by night. Which would probably end up coming back to you too.

 

The pets argument might just make it worse, as horses are pets and not livestock.

Edited November 21, 2022 by GarethM

[daltontrees]

Interesting question. A notification to the LPA under CA rules can result in consent from the LPA to remove the trees but this only implies that the LPA didn't consider the trees important enough for the amenity of the area to deserve the special protection of a TPO. Or to put it another way, that's the ONLY consideration that a LPA should apply. Conversely the Commission should have only secondary regard to amenity. These areas can cross over to each other a little, and where TPOs are concerned there are special rules which usually result in FL applications for TPOd trees being referred to the LPA to be considered under TPO rules.

But for the life of me I cannot think of anything anywhere that actually says (or even suggests) that CA consent exempts you from the need for a FP.