Councillors and Trees

barnardhobbit · **Joined:** 29 Sep 2010, 21:19 **Posts:** 4277

Sunday Morning when most people will be having a lie in recovering from Saturday Night but two keen Councillors
have been out looking after trees on our behalf.

In Acocks Green newly elected councillor John O'Shea is out with volunteers cutting back trees on Warwick Road

While over in Moseley local Libdem Councillor Ernie Hendricks and others have chained themselves around a 150
year old tree on the corner of Oxford road and Wake Green Road to prevent Tesco cutting it down to make way
for their new supermarket.

Updated : It is claimed that TESCO wanted the tree down before anyone had time to get a Tree Preservation Order.

Below Picture of the felled branches of the tree in Moseley - Police on Scene - Main trunk still standing

Attachment:
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Photo by John O'Shea AT politicalhackuk

Attachment:
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Photo by Claire Spencer AT thedancingflea

barnardhobbit · **Joined:** 29 Sep 2010, 21:19 **Posts:** 4277

Update 13:20 - Police have got Contractor to agree to stop work for today so tree still stands although it is minus some limbs.

Beefheart · **Joined:** 29 Sep 2010, 13:50 **Posts:** 2858

Went to the Moseley one today...yes well done Ernie. Its a wonderful tree I hope it survives..

barnardhobbit · **Joined:** 29 Sep 2010, 21:19 **Posts:** 4277

The original planning application and artist impression showed the Horse Chestnut Tree in place and the report said

"The large mature horse chestnut tree along the Oxford Road frontage is the only significant tree of merit and would be retained"

"However, two trees would need to be removed to gain access into the site, a dead elm tree and a healthy mature
ash tree. To compensate for their loss replacement tree planting is proposed along Oxford Road and St. Mary’s Row."

Andy Foster · **Posted:** 10 Jun 2012, 16:54

Beefheart wrote:

Went to the Moseley one today...yes well done Ernie. Its a wonderful tree I hope it survives..

Do I detect, even from Ernie Hendricks, a touch of the usual Lib Dem double speak? "What, us? We didn't approve it, we're your friendly local Focus team." Because the Tesco was approved on their watch.

David Williams · **Joined:** 17 Mar 2012, 19:02 **Posts:** 28

It is a bit of a wake up call for all of us who love trees more than supermarkets. I suggest people check to see whether their local favorite trees are protected by TPOs.

dp · **Joined:** 06 Oct 2010, 22:03 **Posts:** 1076

If local councillors care about trees of local significance, how is it they have stood by whilst their pals decide to sell part of the Highbury estate, allow the new owners to knock through garden walls, cut down some of the 120-year old apple and pear trees and put a new access road across the former gardens without a second thought? And all this without a shred of public consultation?

DW seems quite correct in saying that if you are the least bit concerned about arboreal heritage, you had better take steps yourself.

It's an issue that should not require chaining oneself to a tree, yet if even councillors resort to this tactic, what hope is there for people who aren't so well connected?

Daft.

ianrobo · **Joined:** 28 Sep 2010, 15:55 **Posts:** 5262

it is all posturing

barnardhobbit · **Joined:** 29 Sep 2010, 21:19 **Posts:** 4277

I visited the site this afternoon the tree has been Butchered and even if Tesco don't get their way it will take several years
for it to recover and it was a healthy land mark tree that should have been allowed to live out its natural lifespan.

I understand that there is only one Tree Officer now employed for the whole of South Birmingham.

He/she has agreed to the demands of TESCO to allow this tree to be removed to allow the removal of petrol tanks under the
forecourt of the old Metro Ford site which is different than the proposals of the planning application.

SEE Thread Tesco Moseley Go Ahead or Not ?

To Ernie Hendricks credit he did get wind of this a couple of weeks ago and thought he had an agreement with the
BCC Planning Department to have this reviewed and to the credit of WM Police in meditating in stopping this going
ahead head today, although I expect the developers will get their way.

It would seem that the developers moved before any TPO was placed on the tree.

Note the other side of the road is within the Moseley Conservation Area and all trees are automatically protected and
would have require a planning application for its removal.

Why do you think the Tree Butchers (Surgeons) turned up early on a Sunday Morning before that review could take place
and any Council Officer or Department could be contacted ?

Local people are extremely upset and we could even see a boycott of TESCO forever from the Tree Loving people of Moseley.

P.S How did the tree pruning in Acocks Green GO ?

Daz · **Joined:** 11 Dec 2011, 16:48 **Posts:** 378

Quote:

Local people are extremely upset and we could even see a boycott of TESCO forever from the Tree Loving people of Moseley.

Or they might just get over it. It's only a tree.

Trickofthetail · **Joined:** 10 Apr 2011, 22:25 **Posts:** 239

Daz wrote:

Quote:

Local people are extremely upset and we could even see a boycott of TESCO forever from the Tree Loving people of Moseley.

Or they might just get over it. It's only a tree.

Just the sort of negative attitude and "not my problem" we can expect from an apathetic member of the public. It's no wonder that the living environment is slowly being eroded whilst the developers get away with this knowing that those like Daz cant see beyond whats on the TV and that they arn't too late in purchasing their weekly lottery ticket - nothing else matters.

Daz · **Joined:** 11 Dec 2011, 16:48 **Posts:** 378

Quote:

Just the sort of negative attitude and "not my problem" we can expect from an apathetic member of the public. It's no wonder that the living environment is slowly being eroded whilst the developers get away with this knowing that those like Daz cant see beyond whats on the TV and that they arn't too late in purchasing their weekly lottery ticket - nothing else matters.

I suppose in a sense it's "not my problem" but more realistically it is my problem as it's over the road from my house and the blokes with chain saws were annoying at that time in the morning.

I think the greater peril to the living environment is the petrol tank that is, and has been for years, leaking into the soil whilst people have banged on about not having this site developed because they really like a tree. It should also be noted that trees are one thing we are not particularly short of round here.

I purchase my lottery tickets via direct debit so it would be an impossibility for me to be late to do so.

Andy Foster · **Posted:** 10 Jun 2012, 23:12

dp wrote:

If local councillors care about trees of local significance, how is it they have stood by whilst their pals decide to sell part of the Highbury estate, allow the new owners to knock through garden walls, cut down some of the 120-year old apple and pear trees and put a new access road across the former gardens without a second thought? And all this without a shred of public consultation?

What's going on? I live not far away but because it's over the valley don't tend to go past Highbury often. All was well when I went round it for work purposes earlier this year. The Highbury gardens are listed on the national garden register and to do Martin Mullaney credit he put some effort into restoring them (though what was done to the viewing platform isn't very nice).

Trickofthetail · **Joined:** 10 Apr 2011, 22:25 **Posts:** 239

I see in todays local paper that the developers have once again got their way and are to be allowed by the Planners to fell a magnificent specimen of a chestnut tree. Oh but don’t worry they will replace the tree with “another one!”
Everyone knows that developers laugh at the Planners and at us the general public when it comes to removing our heritage of ancient trees by fobbing us off with a £50 replacement, probably a left over from B&Q, that will usually die 2 years after planting due to lack of care, out of season or just vandalism. Why do the Planners always backslide on trees, do they have any qualifications in understanding the living environment or do they see trees as just an obstacle to development.
If a tree MUST be removed then make the developer pay by replacing with 3 LARGE trees and a 5 year guarantee for every one that is removed. If there is no room at the original location then somewhere in the immediate vicinity would help

barnardhobbit · **Joined:** 29 Sep 2010, 21:19 **Posts:** 4277

Update from the Moseley Forum Contractors try to remove tree on Tesco site and letter sent to all concerned Letter to Planning Committee asking for action

It would appear that the tree had another 200 years of life ahead of it and would still be there well after TESCO had gone.

One should remember that the developers threaten to have all the Councillors of the Planning Committee surcharged that
could have lead to them being made bankrupt if they dared to reject the planning application, and was eventually only
passed on the casting vote of the then Chair of the Planning Committee Peter Douglas Osborn.

The threat to surcharge councillors was complete nonsense as no councillors have ever been surcharges for refusing
a planning application this century since this was abolished as part of the 2000 Local Government Act.

The real question here is why does the Planning Department of Birmingham City Council seem to always be on the side of
the developers and never on the side of the local residents ?

SEE Thread "Tesco Moseley Go Ahead or Not ?" for more information.

Daz · **Joined:** 11 Dec 2011, 16:48 **Posts:** 378

Quote:

It would appear that the tree had another 200 years of life ahead of it and would still be there well after TESCO had gone.

Well Fiona reckons it would last for another 200 years. I have no idea what her botany qualifications are, though she obviously knows considerably more about trees than I do. It's not hard to know more about trees than me.

Quote:

The real question here is why does the Planning Department of Birmingham City Council seem to always be on the side of the developers and never on the side of the local residents ?

On the side of some residents. Some of us are very happy with the Council's decision.

sally 123 · **Joined:** 03 Feb 2012, 22:48 **Posts:** 1509

Don't take it so seriously, it's only business! This is one tree , one less to provide oxygen, one less to offer shade to cool the earth. Just cast an eye over how many trees will be cut down , that are in the path of the hs2, beside that,- why do developers get their way, -money talks , morals walk!!!!!

barnardhobbit · **Joined:** 29 Sep 2010, 21:19 **Posts:** 4277

sally 123 wrote:

Don't take it so seriously, it's only business! This is one tree , one less to provide oxygen, one less to offer shade to cool the earth. Just cast an eye over how many trees will be cut down , that are in the path of the hs2, beside that,- why do developers get their way, -money talks , morals walk!!!!!

A Chestnut Tree can live a few hundred years but Tesco will be Here for Ever !

Street Art - Reputed by Banksy - In Essex Road Islington - Children Pledge Loyalty to Tesco

sally 123 · **Joined:** 03 Feb 2012, 22:48 **Posts:** 1509

Barnardhobbit, how fabulously succinct your post is -(street art)!!!

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