[Announce] Alexandra Gardens and Riverside trees

[John Lawton]

We've received a message about Riverside trees also under threat that we 
thought you would like to know about:

"In Riverside we are also a fighting a battle about trees that is going 
to come up at the same planning meeting (as the Alexandra Gardens) on 4 
March.  In our case, we are talking about trees that run along the river 
bank on the north side near the Elizabeth Way Bridge going out of town. 
  The trees between the Elizabeth Way Bridge and Capstan Island have 
tree preservation orders and though they are owned by people living in 
Capstan Close, they are pollarded and responsibly maintained under the 
direction of the council's tree officers.

But for unknown historical reasons, the next 50 yards or so of trees 
along the bank, i.e. from Capstan Island to Logans boathouse, are not 
subject to the same protection.  Their owners, also living in Capstan 
Close, are therefore at any time able to put in an application to have 
them cut right down or even removed entirely.  Already one such house 
owner has completely removed the trees on his section of the bank, so 
that walkers along that part of the river suddenly get a view of a Bovis 
home rather than of an uninterrupted line of trees.  Now three of his 
neighbours have applied to have their trees drastically pollarded, 
allegedly on safety grounds.

However the council say there is no particular risk associated with 
these trees, and everyone knows that what these people want is a view of 
the river from their living rooms.  Only a very small number of people 
were alerted to this application involving about 13 trees, but just in 
the nick of time, several of us jumped in to object on the grounds of 
loss of amenity to the many hundreds of walkers and cyclists along 
Riverside.  The council has now come up with a compromise solution, the 
detail of which is still being discussed, but until these trees are 
properly and permanently protected, they will remain in danger."

It is good that these trees have people fighting for them.

Regards,

John Lawton
SOS Chair