TREE FELLING IN SALTAIRE - MORE LIKE A RAID

On Sunday March 30th two tree were felled on Victoria Road. Local residents had no warning or explanation and were told by the team felling the trees that the work was to be paid for by a council grant. The stumps were left in situ.

After enquiries, it was established that Bradford council has conducted a survey of all the trees on Victoria Road with a plan to enhance and reinstate its importance as the principle street in the village. External funding will be needed and in the meantime, tree maintenance and pruning work was undertaken with available funds. During this work it was found that a Horse Chestnut, outside 64 Victoria Road, had the disease Phytophthora, and another tree on the corner of Higher School Street was dead. The council gave the order that both should be felled urgently. The stump of the Horse Chestnut remains in situ, wrapped at the top with high visibility tape as the pavement is uneven and presents a tripping hazard. The stump will be removed and the paving slabs lifted and reinstated.

A council project team will discuss future plans for Victoria Road and Craig McHugh commented that the trees add to the character of the street and will be retained wherever possible.

Eddie Lawler, secretary of the Saltaire Village Society has contacted Nicola Atkins of Bradford Council to request that, in future, the Council should keep the residents and the Society fully informed as to their plans. It was also asked that the council should not remove any tree without replacing it with at least one other, either in situ or, given reason, elsewhere. The lack of information from the council has caused considerable distress to local people, with the tree felling resembling a destructive raid, rather than an act of maintenance.

Nicola Atkins can be contacted on email Nicola.Atkins@bradford.gov.uk

PR