¶ HAS20 Trees
An Arboricultural Impact Assessment (Tree Survey) document was submitted as part of the Outline Planning Application which details all of the trees which are to be cut down to make way for the housing development.
The document can be found on the document list:
"BHA-4286-Arboricultural Impact Assessment -RevD -IM-July 2021 - 08.12.2021.pdf”
https://app.box.com/embed/preview/lesudlbv0kfvdxben01u460futq8uyd8?direction=ASC&theme=dark
Quote:
"Barton Hyett Associates Ltd have been instructed by Willis Dawson Ltd to survey trees located at Harlington West"
In the tree survey, all of the trees on Toddington Road on the plan on page 7 of the tree survey, from T30 on the bottom right across to T40 marked in red are to be cut down.
Full List to be cut down (page 4,section 6):
Individual Trees: "T4, T25, T30, T31, T32, T34, T35, T36, T37, T38, T39, T40"
Groups of Trees: "North section of G2, G7, Part of G8, Most of G10"
Hedgerows: South section of H1 and all of H4 (only shown on plan)
Note: None of these trees have been listed as high quality.
The Trees T33, T34, T36, T37, T38 and T39 are large oak trees ranging from around 100 to around 135 years old, dating back to the Edwardian and Victorian eras. These oak trees have been measured and found to be larger than what has been listed in the Tree Survey.
Note: In addition to the under reporting of the size of ther above trees, all of the 71 trees, groups and hedgerows noted in the Tree survey have been listed on the Table on Page 8 onwards as:
"Special importance": "None"
[OPINION] Likely in order to play down the significance of these trees as has been demonstrated with the road safetly issues. [/OPINION]
This is depite the fact that these old oak trees form an important part of the heritage of the village on the route into the conservation area which starts just after the railway bridge.
Here is an extract from the submitted plan in the tree survey, trees marked in red to be cut down:
The above plan can be used to see exactly where the proposed primary site entrance would be, directly at T37 which is the third large oak tree on the left just after the second blind left bend when driving from the roundabout into the village and before the last blind right bend. Refer ot the HAS20 Site Access for more details.
Note: It states on page 4,section 6 that "Most of G10" which is the group of trees shown in the above plan not marked in red.
More trees situated to the north of the site at the Westoning Road end are to be cut down as shown below:
Page 5 of the Tree survey states the following:
8. RECOMMENDATION AND SUMMARY
8.1. Subject to the implementation of the advice contained within this report the proposed development is acceptable from an arboricultural perspective. The loss of trees for the new accesses from Toddington Road would have a high local visual impact, but the Indicative Masterplan demonstrates that the scheme has the potential to provide a net-gain in tree canopy cover for the site which would mitigate the proposed losses. The retained trees can be adequately protected during construction activities to sustain their health and longevity.
The above justification for the loss of trees makes no sense:
the potential to provide a net-gain in tree canopy cover for the site which would mitigate the proposed losses
[OPINION] How can merely the "Potential" to provide a net gain in tree cover based on an "Indicative" Masterplan mitigate against the loss of the victorian era oak trees that have taken over 100 years to grow?
There is obviously the "Potential" to provide a net gain in tree cover anywhere given enough time, this does not mean it will actually happen.
Given that the Outline Planning Application which details all of the trees which are to be cut down has all matters reserved apart from access, any proposed landscaping plans are merely suggestions, nothing is binding and could be different when the future planning applications are submitted for all of the reserved matters.
If the Outline Planning Application is approved by the council, the destruction of these trees will be approved and will happen despite no future guarantees of any supposed net gains which the tree survey claims would mitigate the losses.
In these times with all the attention focused on climate change we should not be cutting down trees to make way for concrete, tarmac and houses. [/OPINION]
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