Tree felling in Woolsington Woods has begun – despite no agreement being in place. Approximately eight mature trees have been cut down. At least one of the old oaks used by Great Spotted Woodpeckers has gone. One of the conditions of the planning agreement was: ‘Before any felling takes place, in any phase, details of replacement tree planting, including numbers, location, size and species for that phase, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.’ The senior planning officer overseeing the application has now confirmed these details have NOT been submitted to the council for approval. Failure to comply with any condition, subject to which planning permission has been granted, constitutes a breach of planning control. The case has been passed to the planning enforcement team and set up as an enforcement case. It is understood that council officers will contact the owner to gain access and undertake a site inspection. Paragraph 207 of the National Planning Policy Framework states: ‘Effective enforcement is important as a means of maintaining public confidence in the planning system. Enforcement action is discretionary, and local planning authorities should act proportionately in responding to suspected breaches of planning control.’ Whether there was any public confidence in the planning system to begin with is highly questionable.