Developer fined £40,000 for destroying the habitat of an endangered species
A developer who felled trees on his land, destroying the habitat of an endangered species, has been fined £40,000.
Paul Welch was the sole director of a company that submitted two applications for planning permission to construct 11 holiday homes on land adjacent to Cowfold Road in West Grinstead. Both applications, made in 2018 and 2022, were refused due to the presence of Great Crested Newts on the site.
Due to enormous declines in their population, the Great Crested Newt is protected by law, and it is an offence to damage or destroy their habitat.
A woodland officer visited the site in March 2022 and discovered that several trees had been felled. This destroyed a habitat for the Great Crested Newt. No felling licence had been sought from the Forestry Commission, and none of the trees were within falling distance of any road, access way, building, or power lines.
Nicky Curtis from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Laws are in place to protect an endangered species from development and wildlife crime like this can have a devastating impact.
“The defendant was fully aware of the presence of Great Crested Newts on his site, having admitted in police interview that he had a report saying they were present.
“Despite this, he took a deliberate decision to fell trees on the site, destroying a valuable woodland habitat in a bid to help increase the value of his land.
“We are working closely with the police and other partner agencies to prosecute wildlife crimes.”
Notes to editors
• Paul Welch [08/11/1985] pleaded guilty to tree felling without a licence and damaging or destroying a breeding site or a resting place of a wild animal of a European protected species, in this case, the Great Crested Newt. Both offences occurred in March 2022.
• He was fined a total of £40,000; £20,000 for each offence and was also ordered to pay £1,000 costs.
• Great Crested Newts are a European protected species. The animals and their eggs, breeding sites and resting places are protected by law.
• The CPS has a network of specialist wildlife prosecutors in each area acting as coordinators and this headed up by a national wildlife crime lead prosecutor.
• The CPS works closely with the police and other enforcement agencies such as Natural England, Environment Agency, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Forestry Commission and then at arms-length with non-governmental organisations to set priorities for and alleviate wildlife crime.
• Nicky Curtis is a Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS South East.