VIDEO: Anger at loss of trees in Horsham back garden

JPCT 130313 John Masters - not happy about the cutting down of trees at the bottom of his garden. Photo by Derek Martin

John Masters, who lives in Butlers Road, thought that when an application was approved for the houses in Crawley Road, the trees screening his back garden had been saved.

However the developer submitted a reserved matters application to cut down the trees, which was approved by Horsham District Council.

Mr Masters was furious at the loss of the row of Leylandii as he believes HDC went back on their word and had not listened to residents’ concerns.

He said he was livid when he found out about the revised plans and the entire process had made him feel almost ill.

The trees are due to be cut down today (Thursday March 14).

A spokesperson for HDC said: “After Horsham District Council granted planning permission for planning application DC/10/2172 (Crawley Road, Horsham), a minor material amendment application was received by the council.

“The council then consulted with neighbouring occupiers along Crawley Road, Butlers Road and Wellwood Close in Horsham and an advertisement was also placed in the West Sussex County Times newspaper in August 2012 in order to fully inform local residents of the up-to-date situation.

“As part of the planning application assessment, the council’s planning officers consulted with the council’s landscape and arboricultural team in relation to the proposed amendments to landscaping arrangements.

“The council has been in negotiations with the applicant regarding an amended landscaping plan and has secured proposals for substantial replacement planting along the western boundary, which offers both a long-term strategy for securing the privacy of existing neighbouring property occupiers and those within the development under construction.”

Tracy Alabaster, Mr Masters’ neighbour, said she felt angry as they did not think HDC followed the process properly.

She said: “They are not interested at all. They have never visited, and have never seen how close these houses are to our border and how overlooked we are by the houses.”

For the full story see next Thursday’s County Times.