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Costs of £89,000 have been paid to Epping Forest District Council in the successful prosecution of the landowner who felled 132 trees at the Debden Hall Estate in 2021.
£300,000 fine
Costs are on top of the £300,000 fine that Mr Sukh Chamdal received after pleading guilty to felling the trees.
The 132 trees were the subject of a woodland Tree Preservation Order and the felling of them is an offence under Section 210 of The Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
In passing sentence, the judge, Mr Recorder Clegg KC, noted that this case represented the most significant of its nature brought before the courts to date, in terms of the number of trees and acreage of land covered.
Mr Chamdal was ordered to pay a £300,000 fine – less one-third due to having pleaded guilty – meaning he has to pay £200,000 within 3 months.
101 new trees to be planted
An undertaking for planting 101 new trees was agreed by Mr Chamdal and he paid the Council’s costs by the date of the sentencing hearing in August.
Councillor Paul Keska, EFDC Cabinet Member for Regulatory, Technical and Community Safety Services said:
The Council’s tenacity in pursuing this prosecution and recouping its costs is a testament to the dedication of our service teams working together.
It is the council’s hope that these prosecutions will serve to prevent future, similar offences and emphasise our resolve in taking robust enforcement action where tree offences and other breaches of planning control occur.
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