Sheffield council's warning to tree protesters as felling scheme re-starts

The city’s Streets Ahead scheme has seen more than 3,000 trees replaced since 2012, but was halted while the court considered an application for a judicial review.

In a ruling last month, Mr Justice Gilbart said claims that the council failed to assess the environmental impact of the felling were “in truth devoid of merit”.

In a statement released today, Sheffield City Council said the court found its favour “on all points, reinforcing the council’s legal duty to keep the highway in good repair”.

It said the programme of tree replacement was due to re-start, “ensuring that Sheffield has street trees that are more suitable for a highway environment and better maintained for future generations”.

It added that officials would not remove any tree with nesting birds in it and the Streets Ahead ecology team “check and re-check” each tree before any work is carried out on them.

Councillor Bryan Lodge, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: “A commitment was made that we would not resume the tree replacement programme until a final decision had been received from the High Court.

“We have honoured that commitment. We will ensure that Sheffield benefits from the best possible street tree provision for decades to come and the best way to do this is by properly maintaining and renewing some of the current trees we have.

“We are aware that a small number of people will not be happy with this and may want to stop the work.

“We remain committed to listening to the views of all residents and will continue the survey process. Therefore the work of the Independent Tree Panel will also continue.

“We respect their right to protest but will not tolerate any activity which obstructs the work or which places members of the public and our staff in harm’s way.”

The tree-felling programme has sparked protests across Sheffield and former deputy prime minister and Sheffield Hallam Lib Dem MP Nick Clegg has raised concerns.

Council bosses say the programme is essential if Sheffield’s 36,000 street trees are to be managed for future generations.

They say trees scheduled for felling are dying or diseased, or pose dangers, and that every tree removed is replaced by one around seven to 10 years old and “better suited to the highway environment”.

But protesters objected, and campaigner David Dillner, who lives in Sheffield, took legal action. In his failed court bid, he said the council did not fully consult and failed to assess the environmental impact.

According to the website of Sheffield Tree Action Groups, an umbrella organisation for the protest groups in the city, people only hear about the programme “when felling notices are attached to trees”.

It said: “As a result, this campaign has grown in stages, as felling notices have appeared in more areas of Sheffield.

“We protest strongly against the cutting down of thousands of trees lining the streets of Sheffield – often said to be one of the greenest cities in Europe.”