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Increase the penalty for developers & landowners who remove trees illegally

AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
in The potting shed
@LG_ mentioned this petition on the Forkers thread. Following on from the success of the "bird netting" petition, please can you take a look at this one and sign if you wish ?
Many thanks
LG_ & AnniD  :)

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/258756
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Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Done.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Big Blue SkyBig Blue Sky Posts: 716
    Signed, thanks @AnniD
    Surrey
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Impatient gardener, Although it mentions landowners, I think it's primarily aimed at developers. There is someone on the forum who has had land next to them completely decimated ,because it's easier just to destroy the trees, say "Oops, sorry" and open the company wallet.
    Your point about TPOs is a fair one, I think there should definitely be far more publicity given to them. 
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Having been through the process of getting TPO's, because of neighbour problems, I can report that it is very difficult to get a TPO for a garden tree, unless it forms a part of a boundary with public land, or a highway.
    I cannot get protection for some Yew trees, which are at least 300 years old, and may be much older.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Thanks @AnniD,

    Just signed.

    Bee x
    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    It's a tricky one. Generally the more burden that is put onto land owners in regard to nature the less it actually gets protected in my experience. When the costs of ecological surveys and mitigation starts to look too high on a project then that's when habitat gets destroyed before planning approval is applied for, as in the case of the bird netting. Builders will always find a way for the problem to go away. Kids setting fire to the tree or vandals polluting ponds. I've lost count of how many builders I've heard saying a tree will disappear before anyone thinks to ask about protecting it.

    In my opinion we need to find a way for nature to enhance the value of properties as developers are only motivated by one thing in general. The sooner they start seeing the natural value of a site as a 'value' then the sooner things will start to change.

    You can ramp up the costs of fines but a builder can have a 'subcontractor' take it down and then the subby can find a way to avoid paying. Maybe making the landowner equally responsible like they have with gamekeepers shooting protected birds might help but jail sentences would be a better solution than just a fine.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    @punkdoc have you tried contacting the Woodland Trust group, they can be helpful.
     Ah Sheffield.... council, too busy cutting down trees. What hope do you have!
    Good Luck.

    @ImpatientGardener
    Although that is is a good idea to make sure that modern home buying  pack contain information re TPO's. Is that not covered in some way in the questions? 
    The conveyancing solicitor should be mentioning it. We were first time buyers 30 + years ago and did not have to ask,  we were told.

    Sorry going a bit off topic, I appreciate your link is more to do with developers and they can get away with a lot AnniD. Clever legal teams and money. The councils and government who should enforce what is already in place are short of money and so staff/ people to enforce and oversee what happens thin on the ground.
    And actual builders and workmen on the sites, also the majority do not care, or if they do won't rock the boat, and who pays their wages, so they can pay their mortgages and feed the family.

    I hope it will make a difference.
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    No measures are perfect, but a strong deterrent is better than the current situation, imo. And the bit at the end about 'severe restrictions placed on the land's future use' is probably key.
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I don't check my emails all that often @pansyface, but l signed it this morning and the confirmation email arrived before midday (can't be more specific as I've deleted it).
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    My email arrived immediately. Have you checked you junk box?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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