Agenda item

The Committee considered a report which detailed proposals to confirm, with modification, Tree Preservation Order (No.2) 2021, relating to trees on land at 1A College Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B60 2NE.     

The Senior Arboricultural Officer provided a detailed presentation, and in doing so drew Members’ attention to the recommendation, as detailed on page 35 of the main agenda report. 

Officers further informed the Committee that the provisional order was raised on 29^th January 2021, as detailed in Appendix 1, in response to planning application 19/00894/PREAP.  The layout submitted for this application would have required the loss of trees T2 Magnolia and T3 Golden Foliage Chamaecyparis Conifer of the provisional order.

Since the raising of the order this preapplication had progressed to become Planning Application 20/01574/OUT.  The site layout plan of the existing and proposed layout of this application were detailed at Appendix 3., which still required the loss of T2 Magnolia, but allowed for the retention of T3 Golden Foliage Chamaecyparis Conifer.   

Officers drew Members’ attention to the objection received from A. Marlow Consulting Limited Arboricultural report, as detailed at Appendix 4, and his comments in relation to the points raised, as detailed on pages 36 and 37 of the main agenda report.

Councillor S. P. Douglas raised her concerns, having visited the site.  Councillor Douglas commented that she had looked up magnolias and the definition was tree/shrub and in her opinion this tall magnolia was a tree, as it was growing from a trunk.

Councillor Douglas proposed that Members considered the original TPO whereby the magnolia was protected.

Officers responded to questions with regards to the difference in the longevity scoring, as detailed in the officers TEMPO, Appendix 5 to the report, and the TEMPO submitted on behalf of Marlow Consulting Limited, as detailed on pages 80 and 81 of the main agenda report,

Officers stated that there was an element of subjectivity and that opinions would vary.  He had based his evidence on the age, condition and constraints for future development of the trees.

In response to Councillor P. J. Whittaker, officers highlighted that pre-planning application 19/00894/PREAPP would have required the loss of trees T2 – Magnolia and T3 - Golden Foliage Chamaecyparis Conifer. Outline planning application 20/01574/OUT, still required the loss of the T2 - Magnolia, but allowed for the retention of T3 - Golden Cypress.

Officers further highlighted that planning permission had been granted for planning application 20/01574/OUT, with the removal of T2 – Magnolia, and that planning permission would override a TPO.

Councillor Douglas further commented that she was not aware that planning permission had been granted, however, she would still like to see the Magnolia protected by a TPO.

An alternative recommendation was proposed and seconded that provisional Tree Preservation Order (2) 2021 on Land at 1a College Road, B60 2NE was not confirmed with modification.

On being put to the vote, the alternative recommendation was lost.

RESOLVED that provisional Tree Preservation Order (2) 2021 on Land at 1a College Road, B60 2NE be confirmed with modification as detailed in the provisional order as raised and shown at Appendix 2 to the report.