A RESTAURANT chain boss, who chopped down more than 20 trees protected by a preservation order, has been fined £30,000.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Saleem Akhtar, who operates the Jinnah restaurants with his brother and uncle, demolished 22 mainly sycamore trees in the grounds of a former nursing home in Woodhall Road, Thornbury, Bradford, within days of purchasing the property for £750,000.

Sentencing him yesterday, Judge Neil Davey said Akhtar acted in defiance of a Tree Preservation Order which he was well aware of.

Ordering the successful local businessman to pay the fine at £2,500 a month, Judge Davey said the defendant was “very active in the field of charitable endeavour.”

But the judge went on: “The sentence has to reflect the defendant’s deliberate defiance of a protective order for his own personal advantage.”

Prosecutor Ken Green told the court Akhtar, of First Avenue, Bradford Moor, and his two relatives, also ran SA Properties which bought the extensive site, in October 2014. It contained a number of outbuildings and a significant number of trees including woodland, which were mostly around 50 years old.

Mr Green said a Tree Preservation Order had been made in 2010 to protect the trees because they were seen to have a significant positive impact by forming an attractive buffer to an industrial bakery, softening the impact on open countryside.

He said Akhtar was aware of the preservation order, but within a week of him taking possession, Bradford Council, which brought the prosecution, received an anonymous tip off about trees being felled.

The court heard the trees had been cut to ground level and covered in soil and debris to conceal the felling.

Akhtar’s barrister, David McGonigal, said the property was originally purchased with the intention of it becoming an extended family home. When that did not work out, plans were drawn up for a possible restaurant on the site. There were also suggestions of a banqueting wedding venue or spa.

Mr McGonigal said the removal of the trees did not alter the existing buffer to the industrial buildings.

He added: “We are not dealing with ancient oaks on a village green.”

Mr McGonigal said there was no evidence of any increase in value of the land and the only benefit was the sale of the hardwood trees for £1,500. He said the defendant had voluntarily started a replanting scheme.

Akthar admitted contravening tree felling regualtions at a previous hearing.

Mr McGonigal said that referees spoke of his client’s charity work.

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