Summary
A company in Loughborough, called Motor Fuel Ltd, received a record fine for cutting down trees illegally in 2019. The Forestry Commission investigated the case, and the court ordered the company to pay £268,751 and replant 176 trees, maintaining them for 10 years.
Key Facts
- Motor Fuel Ltd was fined for illegally cutting down trees next to a petrol station in Loughborough.
- The fine imposed was £268,751, recognized as the highest in England for illegal tree felling.
- The company pleaded guilty at Leicester Magistrates' Court for not following an enforcement notice.
- The illegal tree felling took place in 2019 as part of a development plan.
- The court ordered the company to replant 176 trees and maintain them for 10 years.
- The fine included £266,666 as a penalty, £85 as prosecution costs, and a £2,000 surcharge.
- The Forestry Commission released details of the sentencing, emphasizing the importance of tree protection.
