Woodland owners fight council order

The owners of illegal structures built in woodland near Canterbury are appealing against city council enforcement notices ordering them to be torn down. Villagers in Adisham became concerned when plots of woodland were sold off and suspected they were being developed, which resulted in visits by planning officials.

They found wood cabins, caravans, a shipping container, building materials, hard surfacing, security lighting, fencing and even letterboxes, which the owners claimed was to “support forestry management”. But the officers determined the woods, off Woodlands Road between Bridge and Adisham, were being “urbanised” in an area designated as of outstanding natural beauty and issued enforcement notices in December against six sites.

Now, five owners of them are appealing against the notices. They are Kristina Inman, of Little Nash Wood, Lewis Parsons, of Beech Farm Wood, Lettie Parsons, of Prioress Wood, Luke Kearney, of Cook Wood, and John Horton, of Woodlands Farm.

Mr Horton rejects the council’s action, saying he is passionate about the welfare of the woods and has planted 100,000 trees and three miles of hedgerow. He has a wooden chalet on wheels which he argues is needed for his woodland manager to use as an office, and a shipping container he needs to store forestry equipment securely.

“The only ‘buildings’ we have are a mobile timber chalet for my manager to work from needed by employment law for his health and wellbeing - and secure storage for our tools,” he told the Gazette.

“The so-called building materials on site are actually sacks used to store tree protection materials and hose piping for irrigation. And we haven’t laid any hardstanding or tarmac roads.

“The only reason we have put up fencing is to protect the young trees and allow grazing in the future, which is good for land management.”

The council’s tough stance on the developments in the woodland is being supported by the campaign group Watch Over Adisham’s Woods (WOAW). Members recently had a visit from Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield, who backs their efforts to protect the ancient woodland. David Conder, who is one of the founders of WOWA, is urging supporters to back the city council through the appeals process by commenting on them. “These buildings are disturbing the ancient woodland landscape and cannot be allowed,” he said.

The appeal documents can be seen on the government’s planning inspectorate website.

John Horton’s ‘office’, which has been deemed illegal

Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield with WOAW campaigners

One of the buildings in the woodland

Driveways and fencing have been laid in the woodland