Three mature London plane trees on Eltham Road have been taken down by tree surgeons to make way for the new Leegate development.
Caroline Bray posted on Facebook: “The trees have gone. Three huge London Planes that had tree preservations orders that meant nothing in the face of developer’s money. I felt sick all afternoon.”
Michael Haste, the Lee Manor Society planning expert explains: ” A Tree Protection Order is overridden by a Planning Approval Notice where it is clear that a tree or trees are required to be felled to implement an approved scheme. London Square (and Galliard) made clear that certain trees were to be felled in their applications.”
Lewisham planners agreed London Square could cut down the trees at a meeting earlier this month.
The original planning permission applied a condition which said “No development shall commence until a Tree Protection Plan (TPP) in respect of the existing trees to be retained has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Council. The TPP shall follow the recommendations set out in BS 5837:2012 (Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction – Recommendations). The TPP shall also clearly indicate on a dimensioned plan superimposed on the building layout plan and in a written schedule details of the location and form of protective barriers to form a construction exclusion zone, the extent and type of ground protection measures, and any additional measures needed to protect vulnerable sections of trees and their root protection areas where construction activity cannot be fully or permanently excluded.”
Planning officers said the Council Tree Officer had confirmed London Square had submitted sufficient information to discharge the condition. However they added that London Square had “agreed to retain an existing tree on Leyland Road following officer concerns with regard to the original intention to fell.”
Aidan Pritchard, the project Director told the Public Meeting last week that several trees had protection policies already put in place on them and they had been “hoarded off “and protected. But the others would be removed by tree surgeons after the plans had been approved.
Michael Haste adds: ” A Tree Protection Plan is not a Protection Order and only applies to those trees that are to be retained. London Square have either protected by hoarding those that sit inside the construction site or have left them exposed where they sit outside of the hoarding as they are not at risk. “