RESIDENTS living over the road from a business on Wrexham Industrial Estate have been left up in arms after trees were felled leaving them exposed to light and noise pollution.
Around 30 trees on land belonging to F Lloyd Ltd on the industrial estate in the Pentre Maelor area have been cut down, leaving residents living across the road from it staring out of their windows at a huge warehouse.
Raymond Squire, who lives in one of the houses opposite the site situated off Bridge Road South, said the trees were planted as part of a planning condition when F Lloyd built an industrial unit which spans hundreds of metres in length, and 60 feet in height.
He said retrospective planning permission was granted in 2014, with the condition to plant the trees to act as screening for houses over the road from noise and light pollution.
Wrexham Council has confirmed an investigation is underway to determine whether any planning conditions have been breached by the warehousing and logistics firm.
"This really has got to me," Mr Squire, a former chair of Abenbury Community Council, said. "I think it's an absolute disgrace what they've done. It's a case of having money and thinking they can do what they want.
"We're the little man in this fight, but we won't let it go. The impact of the noise and light pollution resulting from the trees being cut down has been massive. If Wrexham Council is finds that the company has breached the planning condition, I hope they are forced to replant the trees."
He added: "We know we're living next to an industrial estate, and that putting up with noise and disruption is part and parcel of living here. But those trees were absolutely vital. A woman living a few doors down from me has triplets - she has been forced to buy black out blinds for her front windows due to the lights from across the road shining so brightly now the trees have gone.
"The Welsh Government is making farmers plant trees on 10 per cent of their land, while companies are needlessly cutting down 30, healthy trees - it's a disgrace."
A spokesperson for F Lloyd said: "Every five years or so the landscaping is heavily trimmed so it doesn’t get out of control.
"If you come and have a look in two months’ time you will see that it’s just been maintenance of landscaping and it looks beautiful and tidy."
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A Wrexham Council spokesperson said: “Officers are aware of the tree felling that has taken place.
"The trees were not the subject of a Tree Preservation Order, but investigations are currently taking place to establish whether the felling has breached any planning conditions imposed on any planning permission relating to this site.
"The outcome of this investigation should be known within the next two weeks and it will inform whether any further action is necessary.”
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