£4000 Fine for Felling Two Trees

Peter Drake, 49, of Wickford, has been forced to pay £4,000 after felling two protected trees as he cleared a plot of land for development in Whitmore Way, Basildon.

The trees were the subject of a preservation order, Basildon Council having deemed them of value to the community. Such orders are designed to stop any work, even minor pruning, from being carried out without the council’s consent.

However, Mr Drake, an aboriculturist, hacked down the trees in 2004 after council officers had attempted to save them. He pleaded not guilty at Basildon magistrates court but was fined £3,000 for contravening a tree preservation order and ordered to pay £1,000 costs.

A Basildon Council spokesman said: “We issue dozens of preservation orders each year to ensure valuable trees are protected for people to enjoy." He went on to state that the council would take the strongest possible action against anyone who damages or removes trees which have been protected for the benefit of the community.

The council issued 18 tree preservation orders last year, covering more than 240 trees. They included a mixture of oak, ash, wild cherry and hawthorn. It is worth noting that anyone can apply to the council for a tree or group of trees to be protected.