A number of residents have contacted me regarding the plans to move or remove the memorial trees from the open space at the north end of the village.
I know that these have been an issue with residents since the Trust announced its plans to redevelop the village last year. Many of you contacted me then and on your behalf I asked the borough’s tree officer last May to undertake a tree survey in the parish to identify trees which might benefit from tree preservation orders
That survey is now complete and some (but not all) of the memorial trees are worthy of such an order. The tree officer has told me his department’s work is now complete and a report will be issued soon. Those trees which can be protected will be. Unfortunately it will not be possible to protect all of the trees. It is also impossible to use tree preservation orders (TPOs) to prevent development in the area if the land owners so wish. All the TPOs will do is to ensure that any development is carried out in a manner to protect the trees.
It may be possible to relocate some of the other trees elsewhere and we are advising the Trust to do so if possible. The fact that the Trust’s notices refer to removal or moving the trees does suggest they are amenable to preserving these trees where there is a public demand for it.
The notices ask for interested parties to contact the Trust to ensure the trees are protected. I would strongly recommend that anyone who has an interest in these trees contacts the Trust either directly or through the parish council to make their views known. In the meantime I and your other borough councillors will monitor both the tree situation and pending planning applications to ensure that any developments are carried out in the best interests of the whole community.

Please contact me if you have any further queries regarding this.