Ash Felling “Excessive”

SEVEN trees are to be felled in a Leigh street, sparking concern from both local residents and Green Party councillors.

 Southend Council have erected a notice on Vernon Road, marking seven mature ash trees for removal that they claim are impeding or damaging the pavement.

Richard Longstaff, Green councillor For Leigh, is a keen advocate for tree coverage in the area.

 He said: “This is alarming and cause for concern. 

  “Although not in my ward, through Once Upon a Tree we are monitoring tree removal activity from Southend and I take an active interest.”

 Coun Longstaff has called the planned felling on Vernon Road “excessive,” and believes that the removals are seemingly being carried out to re-lay pavements.  

 The notice attached to the trees claim that the trees are possibly suffering from “ash dieback,” and are “of poor quality, significant pavement damage with roots too high to incorporate new surfacing, and one tree apparently causing structural damage.”

 Coun Longstaff responded, saying: “We see these justifications for removal all too often and I am challenging them where I can. 

 “Tree roots can be paved over with a special flexible tarmac – all street trees affect pavements – as such this is not a justifiable reason for removal. 

 “If this goes ahead it will cause extreme shock and distress, not only to the residents of Vernon Road, but to the wider community.”

 A concerned resident also told Leigh News: “I am distressed to see from a notice from Southend Council, there are seven trees down for destruction, in Vernon Road, Leigh, and if that goes ahead, we will no longer have any trees in Vernon Road, apart from one small sapling.” 

 The resident also expressed a concern that Vernon Road was being unduly targeted, adding: “I also walked around looking at other roads in Leigh, and there seems to be no difference in the ‘dangers’ of tree roots.”

 Underlining the import of tree canopy for residents, Coun Longstaff explained:

 “Leigh has the second lowest tree canopy cover in Southend at 10%, only Westborough Ward has a lower canopy cover at 9%, I know this is just across the boundary in West Leigh, however, today we will experience 32° heat wave, it’s not acceptable to keep taking out our mature street trees because it is convenient for highways or developers.”

 The Green councillor For Leigh added that that the high roots of the tree was no reason to cut them down.

 He added: “this is prevalent across Southend on the majority of mature street trees, if this is being used as a legitimate reason to remove trees then every mature street tree in Southend is at risk of removal. I’m in London on a regular basis and see this phenomenon everywhere there.

  “It is to be expected and is tolerated because people would much rather have a mature street tree providing shade and canopy cover than worrying about a pushed-out curb or raised tarmac, that can be repaired.”

 

Picture: Richard Longstaff is Green Party councillor for Leigh.Pic Green Party

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