The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on an objection to Tree Preservation Order (TPO) 12/18 relating to ‘Land south-west of the A33 and A33/Imperial Way Junction’ (Reading International Business Park).  A copy of the TPO plan was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report explained that officers had been made aware of the intention to fell trees at the site through a TPO enquiry.  Following a site visit, it had been determined that a number of individual trees and the ‘woodland’ strip facing the A33 provided important amenity value on this main route in/out of Reading, and a Tree Preservation Order had been served on 31 October 2018.

An objection to the TPO had been made by Aspect Tree Consultancy on behalf of Arlington Business Park GP Ltd, details of which were set out in the report, along with officers’ comments on the objection.  A second objection letter had been received on 22 February 2019, and a third objection letter on 14 March 2019, from Barton Willmore, the planning consultant for Arlington Business Park GP Ltd.  Both letters were summarised in the report with the response given by officers.

That report concluded that officers had responded fully to the multiple points raised and considered that it was reasonable to confirm the current TPO, in its existing form, for the reasons given in the responses.

Resolved -    That the Tree Preservation Order be confirmed.