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Warning
of 'dream garden' threat to trees
A PROPERTY investor who bought five acres of land in Hampstead
to create his dream garden has been criticised for cutting down
trees.
Five years ago, Marcus Cooper bought the freehold to a block
of flats, the gardens of which back onto his family home in
Redington Road, so he could extend his back garden.
As part of the work, he decided to cut down trees to make room
for a tennis court, which he wanted to move.
In January last year, he was given Town Hall permission to fell
16 trees, including holly, sycamore, elm, hawthorn, Scots pine,
oak and silver birch trees.
But after a complaint from a neighbour last month, the council
issued orders protecting three trees it had already cleared
for the chop.
And now the Heath and Hampstead Society is calling on Mr Cooper
to re-think any plans he has for removing the remainder of the
trees – and wants the temporary orders covering the three
trees made permanent.
Bruce Kohler, who chairs the society’s tree policy group,
said: “The remaining trees are large and significant trees.
Sometimes planning applications are passed without proper respect
to the implications for trees.
“Part of the problem could be that the planning department
operates in parallel with the tree department. I think it would
be interesting to understand what’s going on internally
with these decisions.”
Mr Cooper, who has lived in the area for 20 years, bought the
company that owns the freehold of the Oakhill Park estate behind
his home for a “substantial seven figure sum”.
The tree preservation orders prevent him moving the tennis court
five metres to accommodate his new garden.
Mr Cooper said he was abiding by the law. He added: “I
am conservation minded. We have carried out all necessary tests
in accordance with British standards to properly protect and
respect a magnificent oak tree.
“This is all a storm in a teacup. I have not cut down any
trees I was not allowed to.”
Since 2001, Mr Cooper has filed a number of planning applications
for the site, with a view to transforming four self-contained
flats in Redington Road into a luxurious single-family home,
with the landscaped garden.
A Town Hall press official said: “We gave planning permission
for Mr Cooper to cut down trees in the area in January 2005.
We decided on February 22 that some of the trees should be preserved.
Mr Cooper has not broken any laws by felling trees
so far.” |
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