Owners of a West Wight caravan park will face legal action over the unlicensed cutting down of trees in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, nearly 2 years ago.
Mature oak trees were felled at the Silver Glades Caravan Park, on Solent Road, Cranmore, in April 2021, which residents branded a ‘decimation’.
It is thought around 70 large trees were felled over a 2-day period at the caravan park.
Local councillor, Peter Spink, said while a decision to prosecute has only just been made, it sends a clear message that action will be taken against those who ‘decimated’ nature and the beauty of our Island.
Residents said the trees were home to red squirrels, dormice, bats and birds and an area of woodland was ‘flattened’, showing there was ‘no care for the environment’.
Following the ‘decimation’, residents successfully got the Isle of Wight Council to enforce a Tree Preservation Order on the rest of the site. It stopped any further destruction without permission, on the grounds the trees were at risk from development pressures and inappropriate work.
The matter was then investigated by the Forestry Commission and was referred to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The government body, DEFRA has now confirmed the case has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service, which has decided to commence legal proceedings.
DEFRA was unable to comment further as it is still an ongoing incident. Cutting down trees without a felling licence, where one is required, currently carries an unlimited penalty if convicted at the Magistrates Court. The penalty could be increased to an unlimited fine if the court wishes.
Councillor Spink said the courts also have the power to impose a replanting order.
He said:
“It will take many years for the woodland to be restored to its former glory but at least the felling will in the fullness of time be reversed.”
Previous attempts have been made to contact the owner of Silver Glades Caravan Park.
Silver Glades Caravan Park, should now be closed down and the site planted as a forest.
People with Money, think they can getaway with anything.
They need to be taught a lesson, take away there toys and make them replant.
People like this should not be allowed to own wildlife areas. They put greed and profit before all else, destroying natural wildlife habitats. Shame on them!
Good! I know this particular area very well. Throw the book at him.
Not agreeing with the felling,but a bit of exaggeration here, fell 70 large trees over 2days is some going, but expect many were no more than a few feet high. This is their land and why should others dictate. Council and housing developments eg Pan Meadows etc displaced and destroyed many habits and mature trees , domestic cat’s destroy huge amounts of wild life – snake,slow worm, squirrel,mice,baby birds etc too.
The article clearly states “70 large trees” so you are wrong to say they were a few feet high.
“This is their land and why should others dictate.”
Really? Do you want to get rid of planning laws? Can you imagine the state the country would be in then?
“Why should others dictate” – er, because we ALL share this world and we ALL perish together if nature is destroyed?
Hit them so hard it breaks them.
That is the ONLY way developers of greed will learn.
There is way too much ‘legal’ ruination of the Island and its wild life, without illegal destruction.
Hope they really suffer for their greed.
Dregs like this should not get awy with destroying our heritage
A mature oak tree can drink around 100 gallons of water per day. I hope that they are planning an open air swimming pool.
Have they got any free logs?Can they drop some round to me please?
Seventy large trees in two days tells me that they knew they wouldn’t get permission so cut them down and cut them up afterwards. No way could seventy large trees be cleared in two days