Street Trees Consultation
Old York Road (Completed)
The consultation period has now ended.
We recently held a public consultation to hear local views about removing two Raywood Ash trees from Old York Road and replacing them with two new mature trees. There were 39 responses to the public consultation which closed on 10 October 2024.
We listened to your feedback but unfortunately, the decision has had to be made to remove the two trees for safety reasons. We will replace the Raywood Ash trees with a variety of tree better suited to survive long term on Old York Road. As part of the new planting, root deflectors will also be installed to help protect the adjacent footway and buildings, and future proof our new trees
The Council does care about trees, and is very keen to see more greenery and plant life in our borough. We take a balanced approach to street trees which are wonderful and can offer residents plenty of shade and opportunity for relaxation. We also need to consider their potential impact on the fabric of the footway, in this case, the roots may cause a trip hazard for pedestrians, and could cause highway drainage issues that can lead to a slippery footway.
Other comments received in the consultation centred on the carbon net zero ambitions of the council and that removing mature trees was counter to this goal. However mature trees such as the Raywood ash trees have reached the end of the carbon capture abilities and new younger trees with many years of growth ahead of them will capture more carbon dioxide over coming years.
You also expressed a view that the footway and drainage could be repaired, however there is limitation to what can be achieved without causing damage to the existing trees.
It is worth nothing that the Raywood Ash trees have grown large and need plenty of space to thrive which is currently limited on site.
The trees will be removed towards the end February 2025 and new trees planted in in the Spring.
Location of tree(s): Old York Road
How many trees are affected: 2
Species: Raywood Ash
Why we propose to fell these trees: Disruption to the footpath and risk of drain blockage
More Information
Tree 1
Tree 2
As a part of the scheme to permanently pedestrianise Old York Road, a tree survey was conducted earlier this year to ensure tree integrity and pedestrian safety.
The survey found that the above trees are causing severe disruption to the footpath and are a trip hazard to pedestrians. Additionally, the roots of the trees have penetrated the road gullies and drainage pipes. As a result, there is a potential risk of flooding due to the tree roots blocking the drains.
In response to the hazards posed by the two trees, the council is proposing to remove the trees, allowing for the footpath to be repaired and the roots to be removed from the road gullies and drainage pipes. Once this repair work has been completed, the council proposes to replace the trees (see Information about replanting proposals for more detail).
The council believes that removing and replacing the trees is the most cost-effective way to ensure pedestrian safety and maintain the integrity of the drainage system.
Information about replanting proposals
It is proposed to replace the 2 Raywood Ash trees with mature trees of either Acer platanoides “Columnare”, a narrow variety of Elm, or a Liquidamber.
Additionally, as a part of our sustainable tree planting programme, we will be planting 1,000 trees this planting season in suitable locations across the borough for future growth.