Sheffield trees: Anger after trees felled on grounds of former Victorian hospital in Sheffield

Philip Strafford has lived in Middlewood Lodge on Middlewood Rise for seven years. The apartments are in the administration block of the old South Yorkshire Asylum, dating back to 1872, and the grounds lie within Middlewood Park Conservation Area.

Mr Strafford said he was horrified to see that two holly trees and a yew tree in the grounds near his apartment had been removed without residents’ prior knowledge. He owns his property on a leasehold basis and the apartments and grounds are looked after by a management company, of which he is a shareholder.

Neither the company nor the council informed residents that the firm had applied to Sheffield City Council tree protection officers for permission to fell the trees, said Mr Strafford. He is also concerned that nobody from the council visited the site before they made the decision, relying on pictures that were submitted.

Mr Strafford said: “It’s alarming because, in the past five years, we’ve lost five to six trees on the site – one of them was in the big storm we had last year after a branch fell down. A director of the company, instead of futureproofing it, decided it had to come down.”

He said there would have been a chance to object about the latest trees to be felled on the council website but it was too late by the time anyone found out about the application.

“This is a conservation area as well,” he said. “The council didn’t give us any opportunity to oppose this. They never informed us they were being removed.”

He added: “Even as shareholders and leaseholders of our properties we have no say in what goes on.” Mr Strafford said that there should be an annual shareholders’ meeting but there has not been one held for seven years.

He said it makes him feel utterly powerless to protect the heritage of the site. “Those trees saw King George V when he visited the wartime hospital here in 1915 and now they have gone.”

He said that he had seen owls in the trees as well as other birds. He said the removal of the trees also means that he can be overlooked by residents in houses which are close to the boundary fence.

He felt sure that the trees posed no safety risk, adding: “Trees are being felled in Sheffield again for no reason.”

A brief report on the decision to grant a section 211 notice to fell the trees on the council website said: “There is no objection to the proposed removal of the three small holly and yew trees, which are suppressed by neighbouring trees and are of ungainly form as a result.

“The replacement of these three trees, while not mandatory, would replace any amenity lost from their removal.”

The directors of the management company issued a statement to residents on the issue which said the trees were a safety risk.

It said: “Middlewood Lodge is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of all our residents. Recently, there has been some discussion regarding the felling of trees within our development. We would like to clarify the situation and provide accurate information.

“Contrary to reports, only three trees, not five, were removed last week. This decision followed an incident on December 21, 2023, where a tree fell, narrowly avoiding causing serious damage and potential loss of life.

“This was a fortunate escape as the tree’s fall was arrested by metal railings, preventing it from impacting nearby cars and residents. The cost of replacing the damaged railings amounted to £900.

“In response to this incident, a professional arborist was consulted. After thorough inspection, it was advised that three trees posed a significant risk to residents and parked vehicles due to their deformed growth, influenced by the proximity of three large sycamore trees.

“The arborist’s recommendation was for immediate removal. Understanding the urgency, we sought and received prompt approval from Sheffield City Council for the removal of these trees, which were not classified as ‘significant trees’ but as a safety hazard.

“Our team of directors at Middlewood Lodge is proactive in addressing any safety concerns. In this instance, we acted swiftly to mitigate a clear and present danger. The most at-risk leaseholders and residents have expressed their gratitude for our prompt action, which has significantly alleviated their concerns.

“While we regret that not all leaseholders were informed in time due to the urgent nature of this situation, we want to assure everyone that the safety of our residents is always our top priority.

“We understand the concerns raised by two leaseholders and appreciate them reaching out. Please be assured that these actions were taken with the health and safety of all our residents as the foremost consideration.”

Coun Ben Miskell, chair of the Sheffield City Council transport, regeneration and climate policy committee, said: “I am sympathetic to residents at Middlewood Lodge for the loss of these trees and understand their frustration at not having the opportunity to have their say. These trees do not belong to the council and it was not our decision to fell them.

“Under a section 211 notice, the local authority must allow work to take place unless they are able to make a Tree Preservation Order, and in this unfortunate case, our expert and skilled Community Tree Officers knew that these particular trees would not meet the high standards required for this to happen.

“As a council, we would always recommend that any trees that have been removed are replaced and we have encouraged the landowners to do this to ensure there is no loss of amenity from the removal of these trees.”