Armada Way: Calls for inquiry after more than 100 trees cut down in Plymouth city centre
Plymouth Green Party has called for an independent inquiry into the controversial felling of trees in Armada Way.
On Tuesday night (March 14), Plymouth City Council ordered contractors to fell a total of 110 trees to make way for a multi-million-pound regeneration project.
Campaigners got an injunction at 1am to halt the chopping, but by that time only 12 trees remained.
Watch as contractors fence off Armada Way as trees are removed
The council says it will replace the trees with 169 'semi-mature' trees - but more than 8,000 people signed a petition to save the existing trees.
The Green Party said councillors were given no time to scrutinise the executive decision ordered by the Conservative leader of Plymouth City Council Richard Bingley.
The Greens have now called for an independent inquiry into the decision-making behind the felling of the trees.
'Ecological vandalism'
Green Party Group leader Ian Poyser, who is councillor for Plympton Chaddlewood, said: “It makes me feel sick to see how the council have pushed this through in bad faith in the middle of the night. This kind of ecological vandalism must not be repeated.
"The council should take the opportunity to review its consultation processes to ensure residents are better informed of schemes as they develop, with more creative and accessible opportunities to input.
"Public views ought to be taken into consideration much earlier in the design process. Without changing the way the council listens to and engages with residents, the danger is that this kind of mess is repeated in the future.
"It’s vital that the council now takes steps to restore faith and rebuild relationships.”
Plymouth City Council said the felling needed to happen to make way for the redevelopment of Armada Way.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the council said: "The plan had been to remove all the felled trees and shave off and make safe any stumps along the main pedestrian routes once all the trees had come down before the start of the working day. Unfortunately, the injunction meant we had to stop work.
"The contractors cleaned up the site and installed more fencing to ensure the felled wood is out of bounds. Other trees that remain are three which have bird nests and 24 which were due to remain under the revised plans.
"Following an engagement programme, the final design was changed to include 169 semi-mature new trees to be planted, a revised tree planting schedule and a commitment to investigate wider tree planting in the city centre.
"This means an additional 19 semi-mature trees, including more evergreens and wider canopy trees as well as keeping another existing tree."
The overall scheme is funded by £2.7m from the Transforming Cities Fund for walking and cycling, which is time restricted, meaning work had to begin by a certain date, and £10m of council capital funding.
The city council said it was taking legal advice after the injunction was put in place.