A planning application (SDNP/23/05134/FUL) was made by the rugby club to build a car park with 80 spaces and room for 2 coaches, a new, enlarged access from Clayton Road with a 250m long access road and a 225sq m groundsman’s store on land which currently forms part of the strategic gap between Ditchling and Keymer. Permission was refused for 7 reasons by the SDNP Planning Committee at a meeting on 11th July and the formal Notice of Refusal was published on 5th August. All documents can be found on the SDNP website under the above reference.
Felling of oak tree protected by a Tree Preservation Order
A group of three oak trees stand on the land used by Ditchling Rugby Club and that was included in the above planning application. These trees mark the edge of the old road between Ditchling and Keymer and are of landscape, historical and ecological importance. These trees are protected by a tree preservation order (TPO) that was made in March.
Many of you will be aware that on Friday 2nd August one of these oak trees was felled and most of the remains were cut up and removed from the site on the following day. The South Downs National Park ((SDNP) has confirmed that no application requesting permission to fell the tree has been made or granted. The removal of this tree is now subject to an investigation by the Planning
Enforcement Officer.
A tree survey commissioned by the rugby club found that the tree was “..overall in fair condition, considered to be typical of its age and species”, but that a number of fallen limbs are indicative of decline and so recommended felling the tree. However, in its reasons for refusing the planning application the SDNP stated that “insufficient information and justification has been provided …regarding the removal of the mature oak tree”. The Planning Officers said in their report that “Officers consider there to be insufficient information and justification for the removal of the tree which contributes positively to the character of the area and has not previously been considered necessary for removal until an access track is proposed.“
| The Society has been in contact with the SDNP over this matter and has submitted a number of photographs. If you have any information regarding the felling of the tree, most particularly photographs before and after the felling then please forward them to [email protected] quoting the reference SDNP/24/00294/TPO. It is not clear at this point what action, if any, will be taken by the Enforcement Officer following the completion of inquiries but they are anxious to obtain information as to the condition of the tree and the circumstances under which it was felled. |
The Ditchling Society [email protected] 18 August 2024 |