A CHURCH has been told it can cut back a protected yew tree, four months after it asked for a speedy decision.

All Saints Church in Church Road, Llanfrechfa, Cwmbran, had made the application to Torfaen Borough Council as it feared it would be unable to bring in materials for a compostable toilet due to overhanging branches.

When it made the application in February church warden Angela O’Brien asked the council for “an early resolution” as work to build the toilet, that can turn human waste into compost-like material, was due to start within the following three to four weeks.

The council has now given the go-ahead, having considered the application for four months. It issued a decision in June with its tree officer offering no objection.

However, Ms O’Brien said the work to install the toilet was able to go ahead “without disturbing the tree” and there is now no intention to cut the branches.

She said: “Had we been pushing it I would have gone back to the council but it didn’t affect us so I didn’t have to bother them and push them to make a decision, it wasn’t a problem.”

The permission, which is valid for two years, is for a crown lift, to remove the lower branches.