CHRISTCHURCH councillors resolved to “express concerns” over the actions of developer Renaissance Retirement following the felling of protected trees in Druitt Gardens.

The borough council scrutiny committee agreed at a meeting yesterday evening (OCT 21) that it was satisfied with the findings of a report prepared by the authority's strategic director David Barnes.

He told the meeting there had been a misunderstanding by both the developer and the planning department about whether the former had permission to cut down the trees beside the Cornfactor site in February.

Asked to clarify the council's "relationship" with the developer by cllr David Jones, he said: “We have to play things by the book.

“We get some ethical, well meaning developers and sometimes they aren't quite so ethical and well meaning, you learn by experience.

“That is as much as I want to say.”

The developer was granted permission to build a retirement complex on the site last year. It claimed the trees were damaged on two separate occasions during an archaeological dig.

Among the recommendations in the report endorsed by the committee was a review into the council's “approach” to requesting archaeological advice.

Cllr Peter Hall called on the committee to seek a further report into the “planning procedures” at the time the development was granted permission in 2013, but it was voted down to the audible displeasure of the 20 or so residents in the hall, who called out “roll on the election” and “Ukip”.

“A further report is required into the misleading information which went to the planning committee,” he said.

“The residents want answers to a lot of questions which we haven't answered tonight.”

A further amendment was suggested by cllr Jones, who sought to include a line exonerating the planning department from blame prior to the handling of the application last year, but he was advised by the council's legal staff that the authority could only accept or refuse blame collectively.

He asked why the council had said it would not be taking legal action against the developer. Council chief executive David McIntosh said this was based on legal advice.

The committee also resolved to demand a report into how any improved procedures were performing at a meeting in one year's time.