Company told to restore ancient woodland by the M25

Trees have been chopped down at the site by the M25 in Buckinghamshire, which looked like this in October 2022

A company that cut down protected woodland next to the M25 and converted it into a builders' yard has been told to return it to its former use.

Gladwins Storage Ltd has been operating for more than a decade to the east side of the M25 in Buckinghamshire, near the junction with the M40 between Gerrards Cross and Denham.

Buckinghamshire Council issued an enforcement notice, which said the land could not be used to store scaffolding, containers, vehicles, building materials or waste.

The Planning Inspectorate dismissed an appeal from the company and concluded the development on the green belt site was inappropriate.

How the area looked in April 2018

The use of the registered ancient woodland, which is protected by a Tree Protection Order, has been the subject of a long-running legal battle.

In 2000 it was refused permission for horticultural activity, and in 2009 a Lawful Development Certificate for vehicle and container storage was refused.

Planning inspector Simon Hand said the site had also been the subject of a "considerable history of enforcement action" and is "huge and contains dozens if not hundreds of containers as well as compounds for plant hire, builders yards and many scaffolding companies".

Mr Hand added it "was never clear how many persons or companies occupied the site" and the development was inappropriate, resulting in a severe loss of ancient woodland.

Jonathan Turner, the appellant, said jobs would be lost by closing down the site.

Mr Hand ordered Mr Turner to pay the partial costs of the appeal to the council.

Mr Turner has been approached by the BBC for comment.

A Buckinghamshire Council spokesperson said it welcomed the decision.

"The owner of this site has breached planning regulations and will now have to return the site to its former use, in compliance with the enforcement notice.

"The council will be seeking to recover the costs incurred from this preparatory work from the appellant."