An elm tree that was due to have been felled as part of a revamp of the Seven Dials roundabout in Brighton looks likely to be spared the chop.
A compromise has been proposed by Brighton and Hove City Council officials which will mean that the healthy tree is not cut down.
Campaigners have spent weeks trying to persuade the council to spare the tree at the Seven Dials end of Vernon Terrace.
Two men even camped up the tree as part of a protest to prevent it from being chopped down.
The compromise proposal will be discussed by the council’s Transport Committee at a meeting at Hove Town Hall next Tuesday (30 April).
The council said: “It means that surrounding pavements will be narrower than national standards which have been set to allow adequate space for wheelchairs and electric buggies.
“Traffic engineers have designed a solution that narrows the road space at the entrance to Vernon Terrace where the tree stands.
“This would enable the pavement to be widened, surrounding the tree and allow enough space for pedestrians to pass and cross.
“There had been earlier concerns that the tree would obscure pedestrians’ view of traffic from a new zebra crossing but the new proposal effectively creates a one metre wide pavement on either side.
“As a result drivers and pedestrians using the new crossing will be able to see each other far better.
“A gap between the tree and a nearby wall would have to remain at around 1m compared to the recommended minimum of 1.2m.”
Transport Committee chairman Councillor Ian Davey said: “It is clear that this tree is much-loved by the local community so I am delighted that our transport team have been able to redesign this part of the scheme.
“It’s not perfect but we have found a way to incorporate the tree within a much wider pavement with a smoother surface.
“This fully addresses the visibility concerns while improving accessibility for those with disabilities.”
A council spokesman said: “Our original intentions were laudable in that we wanted the pavement to meet the nationally recommended minimum width for wheelchairs.
“But we want to balance that with legitimate concerns about the tree.
“Hopefully we now have a compromise that everyone can support.”
The transport committee is expected to approve the layout changes and to hear that work on other parts of the scheme is already under way.
Council officials said that they would continue to work with the community to keep them updated on the scheme and any concerns that they may have about the tree.
The tree should be kept for more than emotional “much loved” reasons. Intrinsic value, pollution mitigation, birds….and both air quality and birds are Green Party issues, no?
Saplings cannot replace a mature tree. They cannot clean air or house birds. End of. They cannot shade pedestrians (pedestrians are a Green objective)from excess sunlight. so many reasons.
The Green council displayed an almost pathological obsession with cutting this tree down; overjoyed that it has been saved!