Agenda item

Report of the Chief Planning Officer and Development Director.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer and Development Director to confirm a group Tree Preservation Order (TPOs) on the London Plane Trees (Platanus x acerifolia) situated on the public highway on St Andrew Street, to the front of Thavies Inn House.

The Chief Planning Officer reminded the Committee that, on 20 April 2022, they had agreed to issue a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) for two London Plane trees on this site because of their contribution to the amenity of the area and reported that the TPOs needed to be confirmed within six months. He added that, in Summer of this year, the Committee had also agreed to grant permission for the redevelopment of the Thavies Inn site. By virtue of the public benefit and the tree planting proposed, it was agreed that the loss of these trees would be acceptable. The confirmation of the TPO was to address the fact that there was no guarantee that this scheme would come forward (although there was equally no suggestion that it would not) and to protect the City Corporation’s position on this.

A Member commented that the report suggested that this needed to be confirmed every 6 months. She went on to question whether these were the only TPOs to bring to the Committee’s attention. The Chief Planning Officer reiterated that this would be confirming the TPO in perpetuity. He added that it was extremely rare for these matters to be brought to Committee as there were very few of these.

RESOLVED - That the Thavies Inn Tree Preservation Order (2022) be confirmed without modification.