Buffer zones and green belt

[Scottie]

I was asked by a friend today to look at the trees in the garden. They had to be planted as a 'buffer zone' to seperate their house and green belt.

 

They want to remove some of the trees, birch, alder, hazel, lime and cherry and they wanted a 'professional opinion' if they were able to. The trees had been planted by the builders and there is no rhyme or reason to the planting. I suggested that some of the birches could come out because they were planted too close together and they were competing with each other.

 

Their nieghbours removed a lot of their trees from the buffer zone in their garden and the council have served an order on them to replace the trees they have removed.

 

Does anybody know the law on these 'buffer zones' or can point me in the right direction so I can read up on it myself?

 

thanks yet again for your help

 

Scottie

[Tony.Price]

Clearly the council have an interest in the trees and they where planted for a reason under planning the new dwelings. Give them a ring ask the history and present status of the order/planning conditions. Usually active for at least ten years.

 

They will not refuse reasonable work that will benifit the remaining trees.

 

Maintenance is to be expected with plantings like this.

[penfold]

is this in thorner scottie? the buffer zone saga of littlemoor lane rumbles on at every parish council meeting apparently.

[Giles Hill]

You'll just need to find out if they are formally protected in any way. Trees in gardens can be protected by TPO, by planning condition, or by being situated in a Conservation Area.

 

The fact they are part of a buffer zone in a greenbelt provides no formal protection to garden trees.

 

I'd imagine the planning condition may be the relevant one here, but you'll need to check the TPO / Conservation Area situation. Planning conditions normally state that planting needs to be retained for a certain number of years.