A PLANT hire operator who chopped down a wood without planning permission has been ordered to clear the site and replant it.

Permission was given 10 years ago to Clement Dewhurst for an agricultural building at the Birchwood Road site in Woolaston to support a Christmas tree growing business.

But neighbours who complained of loud noise last year said it was being used as an engineering works and a waste transfer station instead.

And when Forest Council officials visited the site, instead of an agricultural building hidden in woodland, they found bare ground filled with diggers, plant and machinery.

Peter Williams, the Forest of Dean Council’s strategic group manager, told councillors: “It was found that the site had been significantly cleared of trees and had the appearance of a builder’s yard with significant amounts of builder’s materials and equipment stored there.”

Witnesses had seen the delivery of heavy goods on loaders and the burning of waste at the rural site, he added.

Further investigation showed that conditions attached to the 2008 planning permission for an agricultural building, including the submission of a 10-year woodland copse management plan and the siting of a barn owl loft and bat boxes, had apparently been ignored.

“Most of the trees surrounding the building and small yard have now been felled and cleared without authorisation to create a hardstanding for the storage of plant, machinery and vehicles,” he said.

“The noise being generated by an open air generator and the scrapings and movement of heavy transport vehicles and machinery has resulted in complaints to the council.”

Calling it a “blight on the landscape”, Woolaston and Hewelsfield Conservative councillor Patrick Molyneux said: “This is a completely inappropriate spot for what has been put there, it is not acceptable on that land.”

Demanding that the site is returned to its previous state, Cllr Carol Harris (UKIP, Lydney East) said: “It’s absolutely appalling.”

Cllr Lynn Sterry (Lab, Cinderford West) asked if legal action could be taken for disturbing bats and owls or uprooting the trees, but council officials said that would be up to the police.

The Forest’s planning committee agreed to enforcement action requiring the owner to clear the site within three months and to replant it by December 15 this year.