Woman 'fuming' as trees cut down for Gosport garden centre without planning permission

Grange Farm in Rowner, Gosport, could be the location of a new garden centre, subject to planning permission.

But even though planning permission hasn’t been given, workers have already started cutting down trees in the area.

The council says the garden centre company has a licence to clear the land.

Care home administrator Angji Carr, 44, lives in a flat that overlooks the site.

‘I’m absolutely fuming,’ she said.

‘This all started on the day the council received the planning application last month; now there’s piles of chopped wood everywhere and the hedgerows have gone too. It’s very sad.’

According to the planning application, 37 trees will need to be cut down for the development to proceed.

Miss Carr says the wildlife in the area has also taken a major hit.

‘To find out that nothing has been approved really frustrated me, not to mention what it’s done to the animals.

‘The badgers, foxes and birds that live here have had their habitat destroyed.

‘I’ve not heard a single woodpecker since the work started.’

Work should not have started until planning permission was given, Miss Carr said.

She also believed residents should have been informed that the trees specifically would be cut down.

‘We’ve all lost what was a lovely view,’ she said.

‘I can hear all the cars going past now and there are buildings in view which weren’t there before.

‘It’s such a shame.’

Work was meant to start on the 5.7 acre site in March 2020, with the operator set to pay Gosport Borough Council £10,000 in rent each year.

A spokesman from the council's planning and regeneration team said: ‘The garden centre company has a lease on this land, agreed with the council.

‘They have an access licence, granted to let them carry out some limited preparatory work in agreed areas, including clearance of some self-seeded trees.

‘The works do not affect any protected trees and do not require planning permission so can be undertaken ahead of the determination of the planning application.’