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Must trees always lose?
• “VISION” is a word much overused by politicians who rarely show it. When it comes to trees our Victorian ancestors in Islington showed true vision, bequeathing us many magnificent examples.
Every week we see examples of important mature trees threatened by destruction, because of the demands of developers and insurance companies. Those currently under threat include the beautiful plane on Rheidol Green, the poplars at Hugh Myddelton School and a large plane in Fieldway Crescent.
The council’s own tree officers are not empowered to make the decisions they often want to and their views are frequently disregarded in planning decisions. Offers to replant after a mature tree has been lost are inadequate – a sapling contributes little compared to a mature tree and the inevitable choice of small ornamental species as replacements is impoverishing our tree stock. It is often left to residents to fight for threatened trees on a case-by-case basis. This is no way to carry on and I feel sure our Victorian visionaries would be pretty disappointed in us. Well-intentioned people on the council will tell us it’s a question of “balance” between the various demands on our limited land, but what kind of balance is it when the tree almost always loses?
It is time for a serious rethink of our attitude towards trees and the value we place on them, if we think our children deserve to inherit and enjoy their immeasurable benefits.
CLLR KATIE DAWSON
Green, Highbury West
• THE council gave planning permission to remove the mature plane tree at Rheidol Green, on the edge of the Packington estate, as part of consent for the estate redevelopment (Our favourite tree? You’re going to axe it, April 18).
The planning committee weighed up the options carefully after hearing residents’ views. If we’d kept the tree, then we would have had to sacrifice space in the development.
With demand for social housing in the borough at an all-time high, the decision – though a difficult one – came down to doing our best for the people of Islington.
Obviously, we always regret the loss of any tree, so I’m pleased to say that a new tree will be planted on Rheidol Green when the housing scheme is completed. The new tree will be the centrepiece of an upgraded and more accessible Rheidol Green following the removal of two roads which currently flank it.
Local people will help us choose it – it will be a sizeable, healthy specimen and, in time, will give future generations on the Packington estate and Rheidol Terrace as much enjoyment as the tree currently standing.
LOUISE REID
Head of Development Management, Islington Council
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