Planning Department stumped again.

The Planning Department is stumped once again and more trees have been chainsawed.

One day later they would have been protected with Tree Preservation Orders. The trees concerned were at Harpers House on Blackboy Hill (on the right as you go up). The planning application is 09/04003/VC. What is going on in the Bristol Planning Department? How much longer will developers run rings around it and chop down trees as they choose?

After the Cotham School Scandal we were all assured that the Planning Department would get its act together and stop this kind of thing happening again. At this stage we are still waiting to find out the details but what seems to have happened is that on 7th October 2009, the applicant notified the Planning Dept (s211 rules) of wish to fell four trees (and keep one). Planning must therefore respond by 18th November or applicant has permission to fell automatically (again - s211 rules of 6 weeks). The TPOs were issued on three of the four trees on 20th November But, the trees had already been chainsawed - apparently in the day or two between the six week period elapsing and the TPO coming into effect.

We will be asking the obvious questions. In future, could the Planners announce their decision before the six week period elapses? And what is the point of issuing TPOs on stumps?