A father and son have been ordered to pay costs of £27,500 for the unauthorised cutting down of trees in Welwyn Garden City.

At a trial at the High Court in London, Mr and Mr Bhamra were ordered to pay Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council’s costs, after trees were felled at a site in Mornington, Digswell.

In October 2023, the council became aware that a number of trees in the wooded site were being cut down without the appropriate consent.

Permission was needed due to the presence of group and area Tree Protection Orders on the site.

The site was quickly visited by council officers to warn of the potential consequences of unauthorised work, before a Without Notice Injunction was sought from the High Court to stop any further felling of trees.

"This injunction sends out a clear message to people who have no regard for our natural environment and highlights the importance of our Tree Protection Orders," said Cllr Rose Grewal, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council's executive member for planning.

"We would always seek to educate and advise before taking any enforcement action. But with Action on Climate Change one of the council’s key priorities, we are 100 per cent committed to protecting and increasing the biodiversity of our borough now and for our future generations."

Editor's note: This story has been updated. An earlier version stated the court had fined the men £27,000 for illegally felling trees. In fact, they were ordered to pay council costs following the investigation into the unauthorised felling of trees. We're happy to set the record straight and apologise for any confusion.