Barley Mow pub north of Ipswich issued apology over trees

Michael Masters, owner of the Barley Mow pub in Witnesham, has received an apology from Suffolk County Council after developer Denbury Homes cut down 19 trees belonging to the pub.

After the council admitted the error, an agreement has been made for Denbury Homes to build a six-foot fence and plant a hedge where the trees were.

Michael Masters, owner of the Barley Mow in Witnesham (Image: Contributed)

Mr Masters said: "We're happy with it now. That's all we wanted them to do in the first place, admit their wrongs and put right what they've done wrong."

Denbury Homes - which is building the Witton Meadow housing estate in Witnesham - cut down the trees in March as it looked to install a new footpath.

In the process of building the path, the developer cut down trees it believed were on its land - which has now been confirmed to be false.

Mr Masters stated that 19 trees were cut down including two 'substantial' trees (Image: Contributed)

A spokesperson for Suffolk County Council said: "We're sorry the trees have been removed and for the concern this has caused to the owners of the pub and the local community. 

"When plans were approved, we believed the trees to be on highways land. However, a subsequent investigation has found a plan from 1979 showing they were on land owned by the pub, which wasn't available to us before."

A Denbury Homes spokesperson said: “Denbury Homes undertook off-site highway improvement works on Mow Hill as part of the approved planning permission to install a new footpath having understood that all trees to be removed were not on land belonging to the pub.

How the site used to look before the trees were felled (Image: Contributed)

"We acknowledge that the pub owner believes them to be his and are sorry that their removal has caused him distress.

"As a gesture of goodwill we have agreed to install a new fence and plant a hedge so that the construction of the new footpath can proceed in a timely manner and people can enjoy improved access to the pub and village.”