The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning and Development.

The Landscape Officer advised the Committee that:

·  The Council received a request to assess trees at Uptons Farmhouse, Lees Road, Laddingford for potential Tree Preservation Order (TPO) protection.  Following an assessment, a provisional TPO was made on 14 December 2020 to protect one Lime tree and one Yew tree.  The Council had received an objection to the making of the Order. 

·  It was considered that the two trees merited protection on amenity grounds and that it was expedient to confirm the Order due to the threat of inappropriate future management that would be harmful to the trees’ amenity value or life expectancy. 

·  It was not considered that the reasons for objection to the making of the Order demonstrated that the trees did not merit protection nor that it was inappropriate for the Council to seek to retain control over future works proposals. 

·  It was therefore recommended that the Order be confirmed without modification.

Mr Stokes addressed the meeting, objecting to the making of the Tree Preservation Order.

Dr Wetton addressed the meeting in support of the making of the Tree Preservation Order.

RESOLVED:  That Tree Preservation Order No. 5009/2020/TPO be confirmed without modification.

Voting:  12 – For  0 – Against  0 – Abstentions