YP Letters: A root-and-branch approach to street trees

TICKHILL is a small town within the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster (DMBC). It has a fine tree-scape including an avenue of 80 limes in Bawtry Road, planted for Queen Victoria’s jubilee in 1897. Ten years ago, the trees were ageing and 20 per cent had been lost to decay. DMBC proposed that 80 new trees be grown for planting in eight years’ time, this kept the cost down and Tickhill Town Council (TTC) and local groups contributed half the cost.

Two years ago they announced that they would fell the trees and replant; this caused a local outcry. DMBC and TTC then organised a public meeting, where a compromise was reached and the new trees would be inter-planted, with the old trees to be removed as they fail or as the new trees mature.

To head off future conflicts, TTC organised a small working group of DMBC officers and interested locals at which DMBC’s plans and issues relating to private trees in the conservation area, or subject to tree preservation orders, would be referred. It is not possible to satisfy fully the views of all individuals, but should Sheffield adopt a similar approach, which is consistent with the aims that more decisions should be made locally?