A WHOLE swathe of woodland in Mauchline could be about to be granted the protection of a tree preservation order (TPO).

East Ayrshire Council’s (EAC) cabinet will meet today to approve the order, which would make it forbidden to chop down any of the trees at land north and north-west of Netherplace Quadrant.

The site is already subject of a separate TPO for 29 individual trees, and plans for a development of 28 new homes on the site were rejected by planning chiefs last year.

There is also currently a planning application (22/0081/PP) on the site in question for the erection of seven detached villas, submitted on February 11, 2022.

Council chiefs were notified by neighbours to the area that trees were being felled in the woodland and so acted to set up the TPO.

However, the imposition of a TPO does not mean that no development can take place.

A report by the depute chief executive of EAC, to be shared with councillors, says: “TPO does not in itself preclude either works to trees or development taking place. It simply means that there is additional scrutiny of proposals involving any works to trees.”