A BLACKBURN company has been fined £8,000 for felling trees on protected recreational land in Ramsbottom.

Derek and Dominic Barnes, directors of Astim Ltd, pleaded guilty to chopping down 12 mature trees on the land adjacent to the Ramsbottom Civic Hall in Market Place, Bury magistrates heard.

The firm owns the land, although the former bowling green has been designated as protected recreational land in Bury unitary development plan.

The designation was also intended to protect the two ash, four maple, three beech and three sycamore trees which the firm felled.

A spokesman for Bury Council said: “The trees enjoyed some protection as they were in the Ramsbottom Conservation Area, which covers a considerable part of Ramsbottom.

“If the owners wanted to cut them down, they should have had to apply to us for permission to do so. They did not.

“When the felling of the trees was first reported to us, we visited the site along with the police.

“We have received dozens of complaints about the felling.

“Since then we have been gathering evidence and a prosecution has now been carried out.”

Magistrates also ordered Astim Ltd to pay total of £1,445 in legal costs.

Coun Ian Bevan, Conservative representative for the Ramsbottom ward, said: “The trees in question were protected by being in the Ramsbottom Conservation Area. But the level of protection this afforded them was not as high as a formal tree preservation order.

“So, when the felling of trees was first reported to the council’s security team who visited the site with the police, there was nothing they could do to stop the works.

“However, since then the council’s enforcement team have been gathering evidence, and I am pleased that a prosecution has now been successful.”