01/02/2026
If you want to comment on the planning appeal you can find more information here ..,
The landowner of the Westbrook Woodland has now filed an APPEAL of the Council's decision to refuse an application to build 4 houses in the woodland. There is a deadline of 18th Feb 2026 to comment on the appeal. You can comment using this link: https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6003068
The woodland is currently legally protected in whole through a woodland-category Tree Preservation Order, and there are also separate TPOs for a set of individual mature trees on site. We believe that the woodland-level protection of the site is now at risk, and we ask all concerned community members to show their ongoing interest in this special place in our neighbourhood.
The main issues for the appeal are whether:
• the woodland is a woodland or poor area of scrubland
• the large trees will survive the development of houses
• the ecological impacts (on wildlife, habitat, the brook, etc) of building in a woodland
• the loss of a safe pedestrian access to town from the school, orchard, Upper Weston
Where relevant to you, you could:
1. Make the inspector aware of your own characterization of the site as a woodland and why it’s important to you. State the timescales in which you have known it as a wood. State any concerns you’ve had about the destruction of the woodland over the past few years. Mention if you have commented on the previous applications and/or contacted the Council about the destruction.
2. Mention whether you consider the site to be inappropriate for housing, as significant damage to habitat cannot be avoided. Other sites are more suitable for housing - we need housing, the need for four large expensive homes doesn’t outweigh the harm.
3. Mention the route from the village and up through the orchard to Upper Weston. If you use it, state why it is important as a safe pedestrian route.
4. Mention the bats that use the lane (if you are aware of these from walks etc) and the importance of the dark corridor here. Additional lighting associated with the dwellings and potentially along the lane (to make it safe for pedestrians) will undermine
it as an important corridor for the bats and other nocturnal mammals.
5. Mention that the trees have already been subject to several applications for works, including potential impact on the nearby WASPS grounds. Surely if new housing is introduced the larger TPO’d trees will be at risk too and legitimate applications for removal and reduction could not be resisted. This is one of the main problems in having new houses here.
6. If you saw pigs in there, mention these as they have helped to destroy the ground flora and keep new growth at bay.
7. If you were concerned about the recent use of heavy machinery to do tree works on site (e.g. a 20 ton digger/grabber to remove two monoliths that were approx. 10m high each), state whether you felt this methodology was unnecessary and whether the destruction of trees on the site should be used as grounds for building permission.
All the appeal documents are on the planning application website: reference 24/03057/FUL. The key document is the Applicants Statement of Case. The other useful documents are the Landscape Plans (two for the site) and any documents and emails relating to trees.
