Tree felling could lead to massive fine
NICOLA FINDLAY
A company boss could be hit with hefty fines running into thousands of pounds if convicted of felling trees without a licence.
Scottish Forestry confirmed they had launched an investigation into work carried out near the ruins of Craigneith Castle by Seamus Shields who owns Lanarkshire-based Advance Construction Ltd.
The government agency said no felling licence had been granted after a large number of trees – which were once part of an ancient woodland – were chopped down on farmland owned by the company and Mr Shields.
And it is not only the millionaire who could be hit in the pocket – his associates at Advance Construction could also be fined if a prosecution was successful– or indeed anyone who had a part in the felling.
Fines of up to a maximum of £5000 per tree could be enforced through the courts for “unauthorised felling”, according to information available on the Scottish Forestry website.
The website states that anyone found guilty of the offence can be ordered to replant the felled area with trees.
Penalties are associated with noncompliance and breaches of a number of orders and the regulations on the environmental watchdog’s website state that it is “the responsibility of all individuals involved in a felling operation to ensure that the proper permissions are in place. “
It adds: “Failure to do so may result in prosecution and a criminal record for not only the landowner, but anyone involved.”
It is not the first time Mr Shields has come under investigation for environmental breaches.
Back in 2011 Mr Shields admitted that Advance Construction illegally dumped thousands of tonnes of waste from a demolished primary school on land near Wishaw in North Lanarkshire.
An environmental assessment report found heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, nickel and zinc on the site.
Advance said they only dumped “inert” waste but were willing to remove all the debris from the site which had permission for 31 houses to be built.