A TREE battle has erupted after a businessman cleared away trees in his three-acre grounds.

Kevin Taylor, 63, and his wife Beryl, bought the £380,000 house at Alden Lea, Helmshore, with part of his £1 million compensation award from the police he had accused of maligning him to discredit his friend John Stalker, who was Deputy Chief Constable of Manchester.

He wanted consent from Rossendale Council to build two five-bedroom houses for his two daughters, but planning chiefs rejected the plans and ordered him to stop chopping down trees on the site which they said was Green Belt.

Neighbours at Sunnybank Cottages, who had objected to the new houses, complained when Mr Taylor had some trees on his land cut down. One resident who did not wish to be named said: "We think that about 40 sycamore and ash trees aged between 80 and 100 years have been demolished.

"This is a beautiful rural area which is coming under attack."

Mr Taylor denied he had lopped down the trees because he was angry that his proposal for two new houses on the site had been rejected by the council.

He said many of the trees were diseased and he planned to landscape the area and plant a greater variety of trees.

His wife Beryl said: "It is ridiculous to suggest that 40 trees have been cut down. The true figure is about 15. Some residents are envious of us because of who we are."

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