A mystery Turkish agricultural firm has lost its appeal against a council order to demolish holiday homes it illegally built in ancient woodland in West Yorkshire, after felling more than 300 trees without planning permission. The ruling by planning inspector Paul Hocking largely upholds Bradford Council's enforcement notice, meaning the developer must remove most of the unauthorised structures and restore the site, in a case that highlights the vulnerability of protected green belt woodland to unlawful development.

The firm, Azara Gida San, bought the 33-acre Jacobs Wood Farm plot in Silsden, Keighley, for £1.05 million two years ago and built lodges, septic tanks and roadways without consent. Following a four-day inquiry, the inspector ruled that two holiday homes could remain as they fell outside the enforcement time limit, but ordered the removal of two other buildings, three concrete pads, septic tanks and access track materials within 12 months, plus the planting of 100 replacement trees within 20 months. The company had argued it was an "innocent party" and that the works predated its ownership, but this was rejected, and it now faces "significant" costs; wildlife groups had warned the ancient woodland was "irreplaceable".