River Lugg farmer faces no action from Forestry Commission

The Forestry Commission said it will take no action against a Herefordshire farmer at the centre of a dispute over river maintenance works along the protected River Lugg.

But the commission warned farmer John Price that its decision has no bearing on ongoing investigations being conducted by other government agencies, including the Environment Agency (EA) and Natural England.

A Forestry Commission spokesman said: “Following an investigation, we can confirm that the felling operations were undertaken with the authority of an approved conditional felling licence and no further action is to be taken in respect of the felling at this time.”

But he added: “The licence did not authorise any works beyond the felling of the trees.”

See also: Farmer hits back over flood work on protected river

Felling licences

Mr Price, a prominent potato, cereal and beef farmer, welcomed this latest development and said it was not unexpected.

“The Forestry Commission could not have a case because I have got a five-year licence to coppice trees along the river from Natural England, the only body that can give a licence to fell trees on a SSSI [site of special scientific interest], which runs until May 2024.”

Meanwhile, county councillor Sebastian Bowen, the councillor for the Birch Ward of Herefordshire Council, told Farmers Weekly that he, parishioners and local residents were present on Lugg Green Bridge, in Kingsland, near Leominster, when three EA officials asked if Mr Price could complete the maintenance work.

This included clearing the third archway of the bridge, which had been blocked for many years and needed unblocking to prevent future flooding.

“Mr Price was asked to do the work. Then a week after he started in November, he was told to stop,” said Cllr Bowen.

© John Price

He found it “extraordinary” that the EA had decided to launch an investigation into Mr Price considering they had requested the works.

“They did not bother to say he needed a permit and they just said: ‘Get on with it’,” said Cllr Bowen.

“They asked us to contact him and we did. They said they would call him and they did. He did it completely out of his own costs, which was very generous.”

Live investigation

An EA spokesman said: “Natural England and the Environment Agency are currently investigating the full circumstances of this significant incident on the River Lugg.

“This is a live investigation, which may lead to legal action, and as such further details cannot be shared at this time.”

Herefordshire Wildlife Trust has accused Mr Price of wilfully destroying a one-mile stretch of the protected river and said he did not have the right environmental permits.