A PETROL station which claims it is losing business because of a large protected tree has been refused permission to chop most of it down.
Sivapalan Krishanand, of Burton Service Station, in Wellington Road, Burton, has lost the battle to remove 90 per cent of the branches from one Cherry tree which is protected by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO).
On submitting his application to East Staffordshire Borough Council, he said: “The tree blocking the view is causing a loss of business as many customers drive off as the sign at the petrol forecourt cannot be seen. I am paying a high business rate for the premises yet the trade is poor due to loss of customers (because of the tree).”
However, planning officers refused permission saying the tree is a ‘healthy specimen’, adding that the visibility of the sign is insufficient justification to warrant the works.
