Highlights
- Sukh Chamdal fined £200,000 for felling 132 trees, including 35 with preservation orders.
- Court of Appeal rejected his claim the penalty was "manifestly excessive".
- Cake Box founder admitted ordering work for mansion development in Loughton.
Sukh Chamdal, the millionaire founder of egg-free bakery chain Cake Box, has lost his appeal against a £200,000 fine for felling 132 trees on an Essex estate.
The Court of Appeal on Monday dismissed Chamdal's challenge, ruling the penalty was "proportionate to the seriousness of the offence and to the appellant's means". He had argued the fine handed down in August 2024 was "manifestly excessive".
Chamdal admitted causing or permitting the trees to be cut down in March 2021 at the former Debden Hall Estate in Loughton, where he was developing land purchased for £1.5 million to build a new family mansion. At least 35 trees were protected by preservation orders when they were axed to make way for a driveway.
The felling came to light after Epping Forest District Council received complaints and discovered the destroyed woodland. Lord Justice Holgate noted the trees were at least 20 years old and had been protected since 2008 for their amenity value.
"A large number of trees were cut down over a substantial area of land," said Lord Justice Holgate.
Business and background
Chamdal's barrister, Rebecca Chalkley KC, told the court her client "was entirely reliant on others" for the development work and did not intend for protected trees to be removed. She claimed many trees were in poor condition and Chamdal aimed to "make good the land" for a "super-duper house". However, the three-judge panel upheld the original fine.
Chamdal founded Cake Box in 2008 after his daughter asked for a birthday cake, prompting him to commission an egg-free recipe. The company, which caters to vegetarians and certain religious communities, now operates over 250 franchises across Britain and is listed on the London Stock Exchange, posting £34.8 m revenue last year.
