The North West Leicestershire Council Planning Committee met on 9 September 2025 to discuss a Tree Preservation Order. The committee was scheduled to consider confirming the order, which was provisionally made on 12 March 2025. The report pack included the agenda and a report from the Head of Planning and Infrastructure regarding the Tree Preservation Order.

Tree Preservation Order

The committee was scheduled to discuss the confirmation of a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) at Blackfordby Methodist Church, Main Street, Blackfordby. A provisional TPO was made on 12 March 2025, and needed to be confirmed before 12 September 2025, otherwise the trees would lose their protection.

The TPO was created following an application to carry out works to unprotected trees in a conservation area to fell three trees. Following this, an application for removal of all three trees was received from the Methodist Church.

The trees in question are three mature Corsican Pine trees, estimated to be at least 75 years old. They are visible from Main Street and other local vantage points, and contribute to the greening of the village.

The report pack notes that the trees were retained during the adjacent development of six houses on the neighbouring site to the south, previously occupied by the Bluebell Inn, under planning application 19/01142/FUL.

Three objections from third parties were received, along with an objection from Ashby de la Zouch Town Council, and one letter of support.

Objections included:

• The trees are protected by a Tree Preservation Order
• The trees are in a prominent position within the Blackfordby Conservation Area and are clearly visible to the public from several locations in the village including Main Street
• The trees are situated in the heart of the National Forest
• Their evergreen nature contributes to the character of the village year-round
• Removal will be a notable omission from the village
• The trees have been enjoyed by our family for generations
• Sympathy with the picking up of tree debris and the cleaning of gutters but not a valid reason for the felling of the trees.
• Trees have been assessed to be in fair condition with a life expectancy of >20 years and although remedial work to the trees appears to have been approved (24/01454/TCA) this does not appear to have been carried out
• Removal of any tree does not support the government's drive for the planting of millions more trees in order to meet the UK's collective net zero targets
• Loss of many habitats within and surrounding the trees
• A preferable course of action is to retain the trees but maintain them in such a way as to minimise the impact on 17 Main Street
• Impact on the trees should have been taken into account when considered the planning application for the houses next door and was seemingly not deemed to be a danger
• The occupiers of the adjacent house should have considered the potential problems presented by the trees when making the decision to purchase the property

Ashby de la Zouch Town Council stated:

The trees are in a conservation area and enhance the appearance of the area. The trees were in situ before the new houses - the developer should have taken into account the trees when the planning application was submitted.

The TEMPO methodology used in the tree report is a tool that can easily be biased as an excuse to remove trees: It is based firstly on an assumption of condition and life expectancy (retention span) and only goes on to consider the amenity value and biodiversity/heritage value if they score enough points; this means that if a veteran tree scores low the age and value is discarded entirely.

The trees in Blackfordby are pines which look in reasonable condition; they naturally lose lower limbs, hence the dead wood in the crown. The Town Council believes the retention span for the trees is greater than assessed.

If any have to be felled it should only be the one nearest to the house where roots have been damaged by the developer

The letter of support stated:

• The Church Trustees manage the Methodist Circuit and are in complete agreement to fell the trees
• Not aware of the extent of the tree debris when purchasing the property as were only visiting while it was being built
• Originally had grass under the trees so extent of debris and bird waste was not visible at the time of purchase.
• Garden has patio area underneath the trees which is under constant deluge of tree pines, debris and bird waste, and cleaning of the garden is a daily task
• Pine needles constantly in the guttering and block the gutters which need cleaning weekly, which is not something everyone has to undertake
• Trees overhang the roof and garden space
• Avoid destruction and devastation to the church roof from the pine needles settling on the roof, which is causing issues to the water flow in the roof valleys, rain water is not settling correctly and not going into the gutters, which will cause issues to the roof overtime which will be costly to fix
• Trees should be felled as not visible from the front of the church area due to other overgrown trees
• Many other villagers are also of the opinion the trees should be fell due to the issues described
• Huge liability from the church to 17 Main Steet for any damages that occur in high winds
• Constant maintenance bills and cleaning costs from 17 Main Street which the church committee will not be able to sustain financially
• Letter attached from the church trustees states they request the approval to be given to fell the three trees in question due to major liability if no action is taken which is totally unsustainable for them
• If the decision is not to fell the trees then I am asking for a sensible arrangement from the District Council to remove them and replant trees that are fit for purpose.

The Council's Tree Officer inspected the trees and did not identify anything particularly concerning that would lead them to think the trees are wholly unsafe. They stated that the trees are in fair condition with largely healthy crowns, and are clearly visible at multiple locations along Main Street and further afield. The trees also form part of the tree line that can be seen from Sandtop Lane, the public right of way between Sandtop Lane and Ashby Lane and possibly many other vantage points throughout the village.

The Tree Officer made the recommendation that the TPO be confirmed without modification.

Other Items

The agenda for the meeting also included:

• Apologies for absence
• Declaration of interests
• Confirmation and signing of the minutes of the meeting held on 12 August 2025¹