Property tycoon, 52, must pay more than £1,300 for illegally chopping down six trees in conservation area while he renovated luxury millionaires’ row homes

• Tony Wallwork was hauled to court after a friend took a chainsaw to six trees  
• He also cut down a hedge that was overlooking a brook at the rear of a lodge  
• Officials charged him with offences under Town and Country Planning Act

A property tycoon has been ordered to pay more than £1,300 after he illegally chopped down trees in a conservation area whilst renovating luxury homes in a millionaires’ row.

Tony Wallwork, 52, was hauled to court after a friend took a chainsaw to six trees plus a hawthorn hedge which were overlooking a brook at the rear of a lodge he was restoring in a leafy suburban cul-de-sac.

Wallwork, a father-of-four, claims to be a champion of local history and has previously restored a Tudor house once visited by Queen Victoria.

He said the trees which were growing from neighbouring woodland were overhanging the back garden of the old lodge next to his 15th century mansion Kempnough Hall in Roe Green, Worsley, Greater Manchester.

But officials at Salford Council charged him with offences under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 after investigations found it would be more than 20 years before the trees which were chopped down to their stumps would be able to grow again.

Wallwork (right) said the trees which were growing from neighbouring woodland (left) were overhanging the back garden of the old lodge next to his 15th century mansion Kempnough Hall in Roe Green, Worsley, Greater Manchester

A view of the front of the property in Worsley, Greater Manchester. Wallwork claimed the trees at the back of property were overhanging into the garden

An image showing the rear of Wallwork’s property before he chopped down the trees and hedge

At Manchester magistrates court Wallwork admitted damaging trees in a conservation area in a manner likely to destroy them. He was fined £692 and ordered to pay costs and surcharges of £614.

The construction boss who also runs a string of HR companies is a well known local figure in the area and previously lived in a luxury mansion once owned by the late England footballer Alan Ball and threw VIP parties there for celebrity guests including Coronation Street and Emmerdale stars.

In 2015 he sold the house to then Manchester United footballer Marouane Fellaini and bought Kempnough Hall which he renovated after carrying out an archaeological excavation which showed a 12th century Norman knight Sir Elias de Workesley, lived on the site.

But in 2018 Wallwork found himself in trouble after starting renovation work in June of that year on the old two storey lodge in Kempnough Hall Road where properties are worth up to £1.4m.

Prosecutor Dawn Sweetman told JPs: ‘The defendant is a property developer and applied for planning permission; converting the garage, extension to a single story, various things to the gable roof and decking. 

Wallwork, a father of four who claims to be a champion of local history and conservation and who has already restored a tudor house once visited by Queen Victoria

‘It was explained by his own tree expert that only two trees were to be removed. In this instance those two trees allowed to be removed were at the front of the property.

‘But the rear of this property backs onto Kempnough Brook on the reaches of Worsley Woods. It is an important conservation area and all off the trees on that land are protected.

‘There is a claim the boundary was in the middle of that brook but what this gentleman did effectively was to remove a tree at the rear of his property but then also had six trees across the brook in that conservation area removed which were not on his property.

‘He was spoken to and in fairness he said in interview that there was a gentleman walking past who he knew. He said: ‘I have got a chain saw, if I remove then can I have the timber.’ Mr Wallwork said: ‘yes, it is a job I don’t need to do, I showed them the trees I needed trimming. At the end of the day when I came back, he had been over enthusiastic and had cut them to the ground.’

Salford Council evidence pictures showing the rear of the property where Wallwork illegally chopped down trees

‘The six trees had been cut down to a stump and they will take 20 years to regrow. Although during the interview he claimed to be a supporter of history and conservation what we do say is any property developer would know about planning and tree preservation and if something was done in exchange for the timber it would not involve the cutting of overhanging branches.

‘In terms of the boundary of the property, it was in fact on his land and if it was overhanging it was not overhanging on this gentleman’s land but the brook. 

‘He accepts he gave instruction and accepted he made no necessary application. When you are instructing somebody to do work you need to be very clear about what to do.’

Representing himself Wallwork said: ‘I agree with what the lady has just said – but before you make a judgement I would like to information for consideration.

‘I’m a property developer for this house and houses in the area, I’ve also done five other significant buildings within the same conservation area one of those being a grade two listed building known as Kempnough Hall.

‘I engaged archaeologists and historians who discovered the original foundations were from 1100 originally by Sir Elias De Workesley who gave his name to Worsley itself.

‘The property is now considered one of oldest buildings within Greater Manchester, it is featured on numerous websites and has hundreds of visitors each year. I lead in maintaining the heritage ground for my local cricket club.

The woodland at the rear of the property being renovated by Wallwork. During his renovation project a ditch in the ground was found to have shards of 12th Century pottery

‘During interview I completely agreed I had made a mistake, I offered to meet the conservation officer to discuss how I could go about replacing them. This all demonstrates my commitment to conservation and heritage in an area that I actually choose to live.’

But JP Rodney Peters told him: ‘We are sad to hear about the awful damage it will take 20 years to grow them back if they do. That is a loss to the environment we don’t take this lightly.’

Down the centuries Kempnough Hall was the home of several aristocratic families, dating back to Richard de Worsley, in the 13th century.

In 1851 it was visited by Queen Victoria while on a trip to Manchester. 

During their Wallwork’s renovation project, a ditch in the grounds was found to contain shards of 12th Century pottery whilst the house itself was found to have a Tudor Rose made from wattle and daub.

It was found hidden above a door and an oak witching post, from the 16th century, inscribed with a perfect circle and eight pointed star to ward off evil.

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