Local Residents Protest Against Tree Planting in Poundbury
Residents living near King Charles’ model town, Poundbury in Dorset, have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Duchy of Cornwall over a tree planting initiative. They describe the organization as 'arrogant' due to the way they have handled the situation.
The homeowners on the edge of Poundbury paid extra for their homes, which were advertised as offering 'uninterrupted countryside views' of Thomas Hardy’s Wessex. However, they were upset when they found out that the Duchy and its developers had plans to install a 'curtain' of trees that would block their views and reduce the natural light in their homes.
Residents are further frustrated by the fact that the Duchy submitted a retrospective planning application to change the type of trees after they had already been planted. The new bird cherry trees, which can grow up to 82ft tall and 26ft wide, have raised concerns among the locals.
Ian Hacker, one of the residents affected, claims that a tree was planted too close to his home. He has made several requests for details about the landscaping from the Duchy office, but he says he has been ignored. According to him, the tree in front of his house was not placed where it was indicated on the plan, and it is only 4.2 meters away from his property, which invalidates his insurance.
He said: "We oppose the current position of the tree on the south of the road in front of our property. It is not where the original plan indicates. We have not been told any details of revised planning. We would like the tree moved so that it is greater than 5 meters from our property."
Andrew Cook, a retired business advisor, also objects to the plans, claiming they are inaccurate with what has been planted. He worries that this could lead to increased management fees for the residents.
He added: "The Duchy and their developers put in a retrospective application on the day they planted the trees. It demonstrates the sheer arrogance of the Duchy. They didn't communicate with us, they were just completely intransigent and ignoring us."
Paul Baker, who works in financial services, has three large trees directly in front of his home, two of which were moved from their original positions. He claims that the planning application is seriously detrimental to his property.
He said: "These three trees clustered together on the new planting plan seem well beyond any measure of reasonability when considering the house is a small semi-detached house with single aspect windows which will be entirely blocked by these trees."
A spokesperson for the Duchy stated that following approval, a retrospective minor amendment to the planning consent was submitted, and the trees were established within the 2024/2025 planting season. They added that the bird cherry trees were selected as appropriate for the location to meet Highway department requirements and species resilience.
They said they had responded to residents' most recent communication.
Residents continue to voice their concerns about the impact of the tree planting on their properties and the overall atmosphere of the area. The situation raises questions about the future of Poundbury and whether the Duchy of Cornwall's development plan will threaten the tranquility of the historic surroundings in Dorchester.