Donald Firth
'We are supposed to be protecting trees in Kirklees, not cutting them down for no reason'
Residents in Holmfirth are angry after trees were chopped down - but workmen said they were diseased
Tony EarnshawLocal Democracy Reporter
(Image: Huddersfield Examiner)
A council has come under fire for allowing mature trees to be chopped down "for the sake of it".
But Kirklees Council says it is passionate about preserving tree cover in the borough and that felling is carried out only as "a last resort".
And they said in this case the trees were considered to be dangerous so they allowed them to be cut down.
Residents in Holmfirth expressed concern that trees were to be axed when National Powergrid workmen arrived on Fulstone Hall Road in nearby New Mill last week.
Inquiries revealed that four mature trees were to be felled because they were 'dangerous'.
Local councillor Donald Firth (Con, Holme Valley South) said he did not accept the explanation that the trees were diseased and said the council was contradicting its own policy.
He commented: "I have walked past those trees since I was four years old. They have been there for a hundred years.
"One of them was leaning. The others were not. Workmen said they were diseased but I couldn't see anything wrong with them.
"I am not happy. We are supposed to be protecting trees in Kirklees, not cutting them down for no reason.
"These mature trees are being cut down just for the sake of it."
His comments follow a deputation to a meeting of full council last month when members were urged to end a controversial programme of removing street trees in parts of the borough.
A campaign gathered pace over the summer to safeguard roadside trees near to Greenhead Park. Some were thought to be more than 80 years old.
In response Clr Rob Walker, the council's Cabinet Member for Culture and Environment, said any trees that had been removed would be replaced.
He also set out a commitment to map every single tree in Kirklees in to document tree cover in the borough with the ambition to increase that by 30%.
And he said the council had pledged to re-plant widely in urban areas.
He added: "I can assure you that we will only remove trees in the future when it's the last resort. We will look at all the other options before street trees are removed."
Clr Walker said the council had "tremendous ambitions" to extend tree cover in the future with the Green Streets programme focusing planting trees on key corridors and roads.
Council workers felling trees near Greenhead Park
Reacting to the tree felling in Holmfirth Clr Walker said the council was notified by National Powergrid of its intention to remove four trees that considered to be a danger as they were uprooted and leaning towards the power line and the highway.
The Planning Authority's Tree Officer also agreed that they were dangerous.
Clr Walker said: "Under the legislation, you do not need consent to remove dangerous trees but you do need to give the council five days' notice of an intention to carry out works to alleviate such a danger.
"This requirement was met and the trees have been allowed to be removed.
"Trees in Kirklees are only removed as a last resort and when there is no other option. We're passionate about our local environment and are committed to preserving all trees."
Kirklees Council has committed to plant 437,000 trees over the next five years, and 2m trees over the next 25 years
It is also planting "a very substantial number" of trees in the Wessenden Valley near Marsden as part of a flood management project.
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