TREES that were chopped down by mistake outside KFC in Worcester have been replaced.

The trees, which provided screening for KFC in Blackpole, were chopped down as reported on the front page of your Worcester News on Thursday, August 27.

But workers were spotted this week planting new trees outside the front of the takeaway after we revealed that the presence of the trees was a condition of planning permission for the company.

The restaurant opened in January this year but planning permission was only granted in the first place on the grounds that there was sufficient landscaping to hide the buildings from nearby homes.

Four mature trees which were about 12 years old were felled, leading to complaints from local residents. It was then discovered that the trees were felled accidentally by the estate management company acting on behalf of the retail park in Blackpole Road. Alan Coleman, head of planning at Worcester City Council, ordered the trees to be replaced because felling them was a breach of planning controls.

Jonathan Lester, a planning enforcement officer, said the four trees planted to replace the ones felled were Italian alder trees which would grow to about 45 feet. He said: “These trees are not as big but are better specimens.”

KFC was unable to comment by the time your Worcester News went to press.