Tree felling for new homes paused after complaints

Tree felling around an approved housing development has been paused pending a council investigation.

Story Homes began removing trees earlier this month, paving the way for 550 new houses to be built in Killingworth Moor, on land between the A19 and Simonside Way.

North Tyneside Council said it had not been informed about the tree felling and ordered it to be stopped.

A spokesperson for the developers said work had been carried out as per an agreement.

"We can confirm that tree removal works necessary to facilitate the development were undertaken at Killingworth Moor within the area permitted, under a licence that forms part of the land acquisition agreement," the spokesperson said.

"Following instructions from the Local Planning Authority (LPA), these works carried out by Story Homes' contractors were immediately stopped due to a potential discrepancy whilst the LPA conducted an investigation."

Robert Marchbanks was one of the residents who reported the tree fellings to the council.

He said: "They [Story Homes] had already done all the damage and chopped them down.

"When I contacted the council they didn't seem to know anything about it.

"It is an absolute disgrace, this is before they have started doing anything else."

Jackie Palmer, head of planning at North Tyneside Council, said Story Homes was asked to stop the works as soon as the local authority had received information from residents.

The removal has been paused until a "clear programme" is set up and communicated to residents, she said.

"Disappointingly, Story Homes did not make North Tyneside Council, acting as the planning authority, aware that they intended to start work to remove some trees in preparation for the works," Ms Palmer added.

The developer said it was liaising with the LPA about how to proceed, adding that no further works would take place in the meantime.

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