The Romiley Gazette

25th October 2025

From: Sheila Oliver [mailto:sheilaoliver@ntlworld.com]
Sent: 25 October 2025 08:06
To: Damian Eaton (damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk); Jacqueline Kramer (jacqueline.kramer@stockport.gov.uk)
Cc: Vicki Bates (vicki.bates@stockport.gov.uk); liz.sykes@Stockport.gov.uk; Katie Moores (katie.moores@stockport.gov.uk); cllr.rachel.bresnahan@stockport.gov.uk; cllr.angie.clark@stockport.gov.uk; leader@stockport.gov.uk
Subject: Question for the next cabinet meeting please

To the Leader of the Council / Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change

Over the past fourteen months, the area of protected mixed deciduous woodland at Padden Brook, Romiley (Tree Preservation Order 376E, W1) has been subject to continuous and visible destruction and degradation. Despite repeated and evidenced representations from myself and other residents, no substantive response or enforcement action appears to have been taken. The only public statement received was that the site had been improved and tidied up, which is demonstrably inconsistent with the on-site condition.

During this period, my formal complaints and information requests concerning the matter were categorised as “vexatious” by the Monitoring Officer (Ms. Vicki Bates), the Complaints Officer (Ms. Katie Moores) and the Freedom of Information Officer (Ms. Liz Sykes). These communications were made entirely in the public interest, concerning the protection of statutory woodland under a live TPO and the Council’s duty to enforce environmental legislation. The branding of these concerns as vexatious has caused reputational harm and deterred legitimate scrutiny of council performance.

Will the Council therefore:

1. Confirm what specific investigations or enforcement actions have been undertaken regarding the continued damage to Padden Brook (TPO 376E);
2. State whether the Council considers its statutory obligations under the Town and Country Planning (Tree Preservation) (England) Regulations 2012 to have been met; and
3. Retract the “vexatious” classification applied to my correspondence, acknowledge that the issues raised were legitimate matters of public interest, and commit to ensuring that residents who raise such concerns in good faith are not subject to unfair labelling or exclusion from due process.

Submitted by: Sheila Oliver
Ward: Romiley

Editor, The Romiley Gazette
Partner, Citizens 2022 Committee

🔹 Type of protection

The designation “W1” means it’s a Woodland Tree Preservation Order under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Town and Country Planning (Tree Preservation) (England) Regulations 2012.

This is the strongest form of tree protection a local planning authority (in this case, Stockport Council) can give.

🔹 What is protected

A woodland TPO protects all trees and saplings within the mapped boundary, regardless of species, size, or when they grew. That includes:

• Mature trees,
• Young naturally regenerating trees,
• Any trees that grow in the future within that boundary.

The “Species: Mixed deciduous woodland” entry is descriptive only — it doesn’t limit protection to certain species.

So: every living tree within that outlined woodland area is covered.

🔹 What you cannot do without consent

You must not (without written consent from Stockport Council):

• Cut down, uproot, or destroy a tree,
• Lop, top, prune, or damage a tree in any way,
  even if the tree is dead or diseased — unless you follow the formal “dead/dangerous tree” exemption process (normally a 5-day notice).

Doing so without consent is a criminal offence and can lead to prosecution and a fine of up to £20,000 per tree (in Magistrates’ Court) or unlimited in Crown Court.

🔹 What you can do

• Apply for TPO consent via Stockport’s planning portal if you want to carry out any tree works.
• Carry out emergency work to remove imminent hazards — but you must notify the council in writing with evidence within 5 days.
• Undertake normal woodland management (such as thinning or coppicing) only with approved plans or Forestry Commission licence if applicable.

🔹 Summary