Number and location of trees subject to a tree preservation order within Torridge District

The request was partially successful.

Dear Torridge District Council,

I would like to request the following information under the Freedom
Of Information Act:

How many trees within Torridge District Council area are subject to a Tree Preservation Order.

The location of each tree that has a Tree Preservation Order.

The date each tree received its Preservation Order.

How many trees with Tree Preservation Orders have been removed to allow building on or near their siting.

The previous locations of trees with Tree Preservation Orders that have been removed to allow building to take place.

Yours faithfully,

Dale

Linda Patterson, Torridge District Council

Dear Dale

I refer to your recent Freedom of Information request relating to the number and location of trees subject to a Tree Preservation Order within the Torridge district.

There are 227 Tree Preservation Orders within the Torridge district, however a number of these Orders relate to multiple trees and woodlands.

With regard to the location of each tree that has a Tree Preservation Order, this information is available to view at our Council Offices at Riverbank House, Bideford (Section 21 - Information accessible by other means.)

In relation to the date each tree received its Preservation Order, this information is available to view at our Council Offices at Riverbank House, Bideford (Section 21 - Information accessible by other means).

For your information, if you require copies of all our Tree Preservation Orders, each Tree Preservation Order consists of approximately 10 sides and our photocopying charges are 10p per side. The total cost will be approximately £221 (plus postage at cost). Please note payment is required in advance if you wish to receive copies.

We do not keep a record of how many trees with Tree Preservation Orders have been removed to allow building on or near their siting.

We do not keep a record of the previous locations of trees with Tree Preservation Orders that have been removed to allow building to take place.

If you have any complaints in respect of your information request, please write to the Freedom of Information Officer at Torridge District Council, Riverbank House, Bideford EX39 2QG. If your complaint is not resolved to your complete satisfaction, you have the right to apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision.

Regards

Linda Patterson
Admin Assistant - Legal
Torridge District Council, Riverbank House, Bideford, Devon EX39 2QG
Direct Dial: 01237 428759
Torridge - A great place to live, work and visit
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Dear Linda Patterson,

Ref your answer to my FOI request.

As tree preservation order details are surely essentially the same, it would be sufficient to give me the position of each tree with the date it had the order placed upon it.

Photocopying would appear to be outmoded now and simple scanning equipment, which to my knowledge Torridge District Council has, is a simpler route more in keeping with the many 10s of 000s of pounds Torridge District Council spends on internet, websites and modern technology.

Suffice to say, a simple position/location/species and date of each Tree that has an order is fine

Yours sincerely,

Dale

Linda Patterson, Torridge District Council

Dear Dale

Thank you for your email.

The original Tree Preservation Orders and the associated maps are held on a public register which can be inspected free of charge at these offices.

Under Regulation 6 of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, where an applicant requests that the information be made available in a particular form or format, the Council should do so unless the information is already publicly available and easily accessible to the applicant in another form.

Given that the information is already publicly available and is easily accessible, the Council will not be creating the map and summary that you suggest.

You have the right to make representations about this decision to the Council within 40 days of this response. A different officer will reconsider your request and will issue a decision within a further 40 days.

You also have the option of making a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

Linda Patterson
Admin Assistant - Legal
Torridge District Council, Riverbank House, Bideford, Devon EX39 2QG
Direct Dial: 01237 428759
Torridge - A great place to live, work and visit
THINK! - Do you really need to print this email? Save Paper - Save Money - Reduce Waste

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Dear Linda Patterson,

Thank you for your reply, which while correct in law, does mean journeying by car to Torridge District Council offices. This requires time and the creation of a larger carbon footprint.

This is something that Torridge District Council could easily avert by scanning required documents and make them simply available on the internet.

This done, would mean the public being able to see where trees are being preserved and all importantly, where trees, with preservation orders, are being destroyed to make way for development with Torridge District Council planning permission.

A very important aspect of the new buzzword 'transparency', particularly as you say Torridge District Council do not keep records of the trees with preservation orders they allow to be destroyed.

Perhaps you would be so kind as to pass my suggestions on to the relevant person that Torridge District Council might consider this simple time-saving, carbon footprint reducing, less opaque way forward.

Should Torridge District Council so modernise, I would be grateful if you would let me know. In the meantime, residents must remain ignorant of what and how much of their 'biodiversity' is being lost.

Thank you again for your time.

Yours sincerely,

Dale