Fury as Leeds beauty spot 'razed' by workers

A large area of woodland at a well-loved beauty spot was levelled as part of electrical works.

Northern Powergrid explained that it had cleared a "tree corridor" in Adel Woods to facilitate maintenance work on overhead lines.

Local Conservative councillor Neil Buckley expressed his shock upon seeing the clearance during a walk. He described: "There was an area, it must be 150 yards by 40 yards, and it looked as if an air liner had come down. Every tree, shrub and bush is razed to the ground. And it's full of logs and detritus and just a barren waste land."

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Councillor Buckley, who represents Alwoodley, argued that ward councillors should have been consulted. He added: "It just seems very brutal. I was just appalled really by the sheer state of it."

Northern Powergrid responded that the area had previously been cleared up until about five years ago. A spokesperson for the company stated: "As part of routine maintenance of our overhead power lines to protect them, we often carry out vegetation management. After liaising with the local authority's Parks and Countryside Service team, our contractor safely cut the trees back to ground level. No mature trees were cut back, and we expect the ground vegetation will regrow."

Leeds City Council, which manages the woodland area, confirmed that it had been consulted prior to the clearance.

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