Last-ditch plea to save trees

Parish council vice chairman Cllr Geoff Farrell urged that the holm oaks in Admiralty Road shoud be spared.

He told Arun District Council's development control committee members in a letter that he was disappointed they had been recommended to approve the felling.

The only reason was to protect the nearby brick wall rather than because the pair of oaks were damaged .

'Your own tree expert, Mark Everson, has said that these are healthy trees and that there is no tree-related reason to remove them.

'How he can advise that they be cut down is beyond belief and diminishes our faith in his judgment,' stated Cllr Farrell.

'If the trees were liable to be blown over, then we would agree that public safety would be an issue. Clearly, that is not the case here.

'This will be a tragic decision if allowed to stand. We believe that it is a dereliction of duty on behalf of a district council which should be looking after our natural heritage not destroying it.'

Although Arun was insisting on replacement trees being planted by the applicants, Mr and Mrs R Long, he added, it would take a hundred years for them to fully replace the existing specimens.

But Mr Everson told the committee the trees' healthy appearance was deceptive. Both had dry rot in their bases and one trunk had a vertical split in it.

The trees were not particularly safe to remain as they were because they were a hazard, he stated. One tree had already been removed last year because of its proximity to the road.

Local councillor Elaine Stainton (Felpham West) was one of six committee members who visited the site before the decision was taken.

She said: 'I am very concerned about the trees being so near to the wall, having seen the damage to the wall.

'It will be terrible if that wall collapses on somebody. It is quite a narrow road and a lot of people walk along it.

'It is a very dangerous situation and they should be felled.'

Cllr Dawn Hall (Pagham and Rose Green), the site inspection panel's chairman, said the members took a close look at the situation.

'While it is regrettable to fell two beautiful trees like this, the panel all agreed these trees should be felled,' she added.