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From the
http://www.courier.co.uk April 06, 2012.
Protest over plan to axe green giant.
'NO JUSTIFICATION': Janice Browne, is upset at her fellow
councillors' decision to allow the protected 95ft Wellingtonia tree to
be cut down.
The 95ft Wellingtonia tree in the beer garden looms over the disused
Pinnacles pub in Tonbridge.
ONE of the tallest trees in Tonbridge, which has been part of the
town's landscape for more than a century, is set to be chopped down.
The 95ft Wellingtonia, which stands in the beer garden of disused
Shipbourne Road pub the "Pinnacles," will be felled to make way for 20
new homes.
Despite objections from neighbours and Tonbridge Civic Society,
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council's area one planning committee gave
developers the go-ahead to demolish the pub and build 14 houses and six
flats.
The Wealden Homes development will include the felling of the two
trees – a Wellingtonia and an oak – despite them being covered by tree
preservation orders.
Councillor Vivian Branson objected to the plans at Thursday's
meeting, arguing the "stalwart" Wellingtonia had a historical
significance as well as a visual impact in the town.
"Tonbridge is extremely fortunate to have some fine examples of these
magnificent trees, which are the world's largest living organisms," she
said.
"The Pinnacles' Wellingtonia is on high ground and was apparently
used by the pilots in the Second World War to navigate back to bases at
Biggin Hill, and what is now Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council's
headquarters at West Malling.
"So this tree is of gigantic historical importance and should serve
as a memorial to those brave young men."
The town's civic society also objected to the loss of the giant
redwood.
Councillor Janice Browne said there was "no admissible justification"
for the felling of the local landmark.
She added: "A tree of this value should not be removed to facilitate
site redevelopment."
An arboricultural assessment by consultants Broad Oak found the tree
did have bark damage, but said it was more likely caused by an animal
rather than an infection.
Enthusiast Ron Levy, who runs the Redwood World website which lists
sightings of the trees around the country, said the Pinnacles'
Wellingtonia was "worth preserving".
"It is a relatively rare type of tree that has become a landmark tree
and is now part of the local amenity," he said.
"Despite its considerable age, it is a youthful and vigorous example
of its type, so it begs the question as to how it is possible that a
tree preservation order can be disregarded just because it better suits
the plans of the developer to cut it down?
"This would appear to make tree preservation orders utterly
pointless, since it seems to me that the all the developer had to do was
simply point at some missing bark and claim the tree is diseased and
their application to fell was granted."
Eleven councillors voted in favour of the proposals, allowing Wealden
Homes to remove the trees.
It was agreed the scheme would provide affordable housing to meet
high demand in the town. |
