JUST SIX months after it was told it wouldn't face prosecution for the controversial felling of trees on its course, Parkstone Golf Club has been placed under investigation again.

In a dramatic about-turn, BCP Council told the Daily Echo that its probe into the felling of 36 mature and protected trees, which it had halted in May this year, was effectively back on.

BCP Chief Executive Graham Farrant said: “We can confirm that following further consideration and legal advice, BCP Council has formally notified Parkstone Golf Club recently of its intention to continue with the investigation into the circumstances surrounding how a number of protected trees came to be felled on site last year.

" As this is a live investigation it is not appropriate to comment further at this stage.”

Furious residents of Compton Avenue - whose £1 million homes overlooked the lake and trees at the club's first hole - branded last December's felling as 'wanton environmental vandalism'.

The 70ft tall specimens provided shelter from the wind and privacy from golfers playing the first hole of the prestigious course.

They claimed that members at the £1,725 a year club had been unhappy the trees obscured the view of the course's lake from the veranda of the club house although it boasts about 'standings of mature pines' on its website.

The then Poole Borough Council launched an investigation into the felling to try and ascertain how it had come about and who was ultimately responsible.

It commissioned independent legal advice which the Daily Echo understands had stated that there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic chance of conviction.

Furious resident Peter Norrie threatened to take advice on mounting a private prosecution. "Frankly, I’m astonished that protected trees can be felled over a two day period and there is no recourse," he fumed. "In a nation where the onus is to protect trees, where is the confidence in the legal process?"

The BCP Council move comes at a time when the council has itself declared a climate emergency.

the Daily Echo has asked Parkstone Golf Club for a comment.

In May General Manager of Parkstone Golf Club, Michael Serwicki said: "We had a felling licence to take down those trees signed off by the Forestry Commission and no error was made by the golf club. Unfortunately something went wrong in the application process which meant that Poole Council weren’t consulted. None of that was our fault. If we had made those errors, we would have put our hands up and said so."

He claimed Natural England has visited the golf club site - which is of special scientific interest, and: "One hundred per cent agreed that all the work we did was in the remit of the agreement we had with them."

He also denied allegations from some residents that the club had deliberately had the trees felled to improve the views from its clubhouse."The view from the clubhouse was already beautiful and has not been made more of less beautiful by the felling and I'm very clear on that," he said.