AN APPEAL has been lodged against a council notice after an almost 100-year-old area of woodland was pulled down by a landowner.

Residents and leaders were left outraged when the owner of an area of woodland at Scoreys Copse, Horton Heath began pulling down trees without approval.

On the weekend beginning April 10, the area was cleared and trees were then collected and piled up before attempts were made to set them alight.

Action was later taken by Eastleigh Borough Council which included a stop notice and a Tree Replacement Notice which instructed the landowner that the trees that were taken down, some of which had Tree Protection Orders (TPO) on them, were to be replaced.

Daily Echo: Tree\'s cut down at Scoreys Copse on Botley Road, Horton Heath. Photo by: Councillor Michelle Marsh.

Now though, an appeal against this notice has been lodged by the landowner who claims in the appeal documents that he was unaware of any TPOs on the trees.

In the appeal, the landowner who is named as Mr James Barney, explains that the reasoning for the tree removal was in order to gain access to his building on the site so it could be used for maintenance of the woodland.

He also says the work took place to provide an area that could be used for holiday let after a pre-application was submitted to the planning authority.

As part of the Replacement Notice, the council instructed that 650 trees would need to be replanted to replace what was pulled down, but the appeal states that this number is “unreasonable” and claims that 242 is considered a more “reasonable” figure.

Daily Echo: Tree's cut down at Scoreys Copse on Botley Road, Horton Heath Police attending the incident at Scoreys Copse on Botley Road, Horton Heath. Photo by: Councillor Michelle Marsh.

Now though, the leader of the council, Cllr Keith House has said: “The landowner claiming he knew nothing about tree preservation orders is no excuse.

“The wanton destruction of this copse of trees was criminal damage and the council was right to take action. We have zero tolerance of this behaviour. I have every confidence the appeal will fail.”

MP for Eastleigh, Paul Holmes, added: “I have zero sympathy with Mr Barney’s appeal. Landowners should preserve and protect our trees and failing to check what protections were in place before felling trees at Scorey’s Copse is not an acceptable excuse.

“I hope that all the protected trees that were cut down illegally are replaced and I am pleased that the council is taking enforcement action.”

The appeal was submitted last Wednesday and the consultation period is due to end on July 26.