Hundreds of Sheffield trees to be saved after council U-turn

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The council's programme of tree-felling has faced major objections Credit: PA

Hundreds of Sheffield trees that were due to be cut down "as a last resort" are set to be saved after a council U-turn.

The council faced a huge backlash after chopping down thousands of trees as part of a city-wide programme of improvements to roads and pavements.

A further 309 were earmarked for removal but the scheme has been on hold for more than a year following growing protests that many of the trees were healthy.

There was also widespread condemnation of police action against objectors who were trying to prevent contractors Amey from carrying out the work.

Now, following fresh investigations, the council said 191 of the remaining 309 trees could be "retained indefinitely".

Bosses said a further 26 may be kept subject to "bespoke solutions", and another 91 are awaiting investigation.

Cabinet members will discuss the new plans next week.

Cllr Lewis Dagnall, cabinet member for the environment, said: "A specialist team, made up of tree and highway specialists from Amey, has been exploring possible solutions to retain trees, considering all viable options and often, carrying out suitable remedial works in the same day.

“The availability of alternative solutions funded by Amey, combined with adjustments to the council’s specification around some trees, has allowed us to make significant and positive progress, with the support of all parties."

Campaigners say history would show that the city had got its approach to the tree-felling programme "so wrong".

Paul Brooke, of campaign group Sheffield Tree Action Groups, said: “The announcement that 62 per cent of the 309 trees, that we due to be felled ‘as a last resort’, can now be retained indefinitely is great news but no surprise. It is what we campaigned for.

"We look forward to reviewing the lessons learned and publishing the joint assessments with the council.

“We are confident this will show that very few healthy trees needed to be felled in order to complete the Streets Ahead road scheme. At some point in the future I have little doubt that we will reflect on how we, as a city, got this so wrong."