Tree felling underway in Northumberland woodland

A planning application for Grange Wood was approved by Northumberland County Council in October 2021 despite concerns from local residents.

Iain Kyle Forestry Consultancy Ltd was instructed by Harewood Green Investments Ltd to carry out an assessment of the woodland and part of this was to identify trees that needed to be felled as, according to Mr Kyle’s report, “there has been little management of Grange Wood in recent years and this has allowed the condition of the wood to deteriorate”.

It added: “There are several trees which are a concern and are a health and safety issue. This is due to the health and stability of these trees.”

The application also includes using herbicides on certain invasive breeds to prevent regrowth.

The felling and clearing work finally got underway at the end of last week.

Concerns over the impact on the area and local wildlife were raised. As previously reported, Linda Porthouse said shortly after planning permission was granted: “There’s no objection to thinning the trees and getting rid of some of the older and diseased ones, but this many trees being taken out isn’t going to leave much of a woodland.

“I know it needs managing, no-one objects to it being managed, but it’s the severity of the management proposed.”

The objections to the application included this comment from Andrea Birkinshaw: “What might start off as wood management might end up as houses being built on that land, or holiday chalets being built.”

A county council spokesman said: “We are aware of the ongoing work taking place and believe it will bring real ecological benefits to this important ancient woodland site.

“As a council, we do appreciate that woodland management operations can be unsettling because they involve quite drastic change over the short term, while the benefits of the work can take longer to become apparent.

“This is a proposal that was carefully considered, including by one of our ecologists, and we are confident it will bring significant benefits to the features that make ancient woodland so important, including creating the space and light to enable trees to grow into the big, cavity-bearing specimens that will in time host bat roosts and other important wildlife.”