Wood Nook: Tree preservation confirmed near Owlcotes Centre

By John Baron

An order to preserve trees at a small woodland near the Owlcotes Centre in Pudsey has been approved by council officers.

Last April concerned residents spoke out against the felling of trees at Wood Nook, which runs next to the footpath linking Asda and New Pudsey Station at Dawsons Corner. Councillors in Pudsey and Calverley & Farsley wards also raised concerns.

A council report published on Friday said a council officer visited the site on 16 April 2024 and witnessed multiple trees being snapped and uprooted by a tracked digger.

At this point the trees were not protected by a preservation order and were not in a conservation area, so no offence had been committed.

A provisional woodland order was issued to protect the remaining trees, and on Friday permanent protection was confirmed.

Landowners Fort Property Holdings – via solicitors Schofield Sweeney – had objected to the tree preservation order, saying the site was allocated for housing, which proved the tree were not valued and had adequate protection.

But a council tree officer’s report stated: “The housing allocation status remains in place and can exist along side a TPO. Any future development application will be considered on its own merit and any approved planning decision will supersede the existing Preservation Order. It is an inaccurate belief that Preservation Orders sterilise a building site.”

A council report concluded: “Having carefully considered the issue raised by agents, on balance it is considered that the Tree Preservation Order is warranted on the grounds of amenity and expediency.”

The report and other documents can be read in full here.

As previously reported by WLD, residents had been concerned over the impact on nesting birds and had contacted local councillors. Three years ago Stanningley resident Steve Cave started a petition to have Tree Protection Orders put in place. The petition had 252 signatures.