Dozens of trees surrounding a hotel car park have been placed under a protection order after the site was put up for sale.

East Lothian Council officers moved to protect the trees at the Marine Hotel North Berwick, in a bid to ensure any future owner would not be able to chop them down.

A report to councillors confirming Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) had been approved for the woodlands, said a decision to put part of the land on the market had sparked the intervention.

It said: "It was brought to the attention of East Lothian Council that part of the car park for the Marine Hotel was for sale. On assessment of the site, it was noted there were significant trees within and adjacent to the site.

"Confirmation of this order has safeguarded the amenity value of these and other significant mature and semi-mature trees that form the landscape setting for Cromwell Road. These trees are now protected under planning law and cannot be legally pruned or removed without the prior agreement of the council."

The report said the trees were an integral part of the historic Victorian streetscape with a number of them appearing to date back to the original building dates and make a "significant contribution to the visual amenity and overall character of this part of North Berwick."

It added: "If these trees were lost, it would impact significantly on this area of North Berwick and represent a significant loss to the visual amenity of this part of North Berwick."

Among the trees protected under the order are a mixed age woodland which is mainly made up of sycamore with horse chestnut, lime and rowan trees lining the car park also covered.

The report said the orders ensured that any future work involving the trees would have to be brought to the council for approval.

It said: "It does not prevent the owners of the trees from applying to the council for permission to do tree management work if necessary in the future.

"However, the TPO would give the council control over such proposals and this control would be used to ensure tree cover is retained in this area."

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