[Discuss] Developers cut trees on Mill Road

[Allan Brigham]

Developers cut trees on Mill Road: Royal Standard

Prominent trees in the garden of The Royal Standard on Mill Road were cut
down last week. Luckily the City Council acted promptly and one was saved.
But this is a sad loss on a street that badly needs 'greening', and comes
shortly after the loss of the trees at St Barnabas Church. It has been
claimed that these trees were cut down so that nothing would stand in the
way of future development of this site. If this is true it is a cynical and
very depressing ploy by the owners. Full story below:

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Tree-saved-but-two-fall-before-the-axe.
htm

Cambridge News: 07/03/2011 08:08 - Updated: 07/03/2011 09:53 
Tree saved but two fall before the axe  
Chris Elliott & Alice Hutton 
 
SURVIVOR: The remaining tree
 

Council chiefs have stepped in after angry residents complained staff at a
former city pub were hacking down three trees - but they only managed to
save one from the axe.

People living near the Royal Standard in Cambridge's Mill Road, which has
reopened recently as an Indian and Thai restaurant called The Royal Standard
Indian, rang the city council on Thursday when the tree-cutting started.

A tree preservation order has now been put on the one remaining tree, but
two others which had "a significant presence" have been cut down.

The three trees were listed for conservation status appraisal, but had not
been the subject of preservation orders when the cutting began. 

Cllr Clare Blair, the city council's executive councillor for climate change
and growth, said: "We think the chopping down of the trees was a pre-emptive
clearance, prior to a planning application being put in for development of
the site.

"Naturally local people are very upset about this, and the council officers
managed to turn round a tree preservation order as quickly as they could.

"Sadly we could not prevent two of the three trees being removed, but we
have at least saved the third one."

Cllr Blair thanked residents who first alerted the council.

She said: "We are very grateful to the residents for being so alert and
telling us about what happened.

"It is only with their help that we can step in and help the situation."

She said the removal of the trees could be a precursor to a planning
application to redevelop the building but the council had not yet had a
reply from the site owner.

She said: "In this particular case the building is of local interest and the
trees are listed in the conservation area appraisal that is in the process
of being consulted on and, if passed, would have given the trees statutory
protection.

"We were able to save the pear tree but the sycamore and whitebeam, which
had a significant presence, have gone."

A sign at the former pub's premises says it has been repossessed and when
the News contacted the venue, staff declined to comment.

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Save Our green Spaces
http://www.soscambridge.org.uk
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