Proposals to cut down more trees at a council building site in Brighton divided opinion among councillors this afternoon (Wednesday 2 February).
Nineteen trees will be removed by the entrance to the site, in Coldean Lane, to make more space for drains and parking.
The original planning application by Homes for Brighton and Hove – a joint venture between Brighton and Hove City Council and Hyde Housing – included the loss of a third of an acre of woodland at the site entrance.
And while several other trees on the site were earmarked for felling, the presence of elm disease and ash dieback has added to the losses.
But, councillors were told, 200 trees are due to be planted around the 242 new flats being built there once landscaping designs have been agreed.
The planning application to fell more trees went through on the casting vote of Green councillor Sue Shanks who chaired the council’s Planning Committee meeting today.
The site will have a “bell-mouth entrance” so that vehicles have to turn left – down the hill – when they leave the site rather than crossing the traffic. They will also have to turn left into the site, again to prevent them from turning right across the traffic.
Green councillor Alex Phillips asked the council’s arboriculturalist about the proposed new trees, given that mature trees are being lost and she did not want to healthy trees to be removed.
At the meeting at Hove Town Hall, she said: “I’m not a specialist but it’s not like for like from where I’m standing.”
The arboriculturalist, Paul Davey, said that there was significant tree loss in the area because of elm disease and ash dieback along the entire length of the wood.
Last year his team had to remove 40 diseased elms from the site and Mr Davey said that all ash and elm trees in the area were likely to succumb to disease.
He said: “Replanting is a high priority. It will need a robust maintenance regime. Watering will be imperative.
“We would assume they will be fairly substantial trees, minimum of 12 to 14 nursery stock, but we’re looking at at least five to ten years before any form of screening is established.”
Labour councillor Daniel Yates recalled when the application came before the committee in July 2019 when councillors debated the ecology of the site and the tree screening.
Even without the six new blocks of flats, he said that the site would still have lost a significant number of trees to disease.
He said: “It worries me more than anything that should we approve this change, that we as a planning committee and potentially as a council, will get blamed for everything bad going on on that site regardless whether its anything to do with the development or not.
“We need to make sure we’re putting in place as many conditions as possible to go back to our original set of issues around protecting the ecosystem there, looking at the potential environmental damage that development is going to cause and mitigating it as far as possible.”
Green councillor Siriol Hugh-Jones proposed that the 200 new trees should create screening as close as possible to its original density along Coldean Lane. This received unanimous support.
Conservative councillor Carol Theobald voted against the overall proposals because she did not want to see any more trees lost from the site.
She said: “The residents were assured the tree line along Coldean Lane would be protected and like a safety screen.
“I was very shocked to see how many trees have gone and how decimated it looks.
“The developer surely should have sorted out the drainage and landscaping when the application went in and it was all agreed.”
The scheme includes two seven-storey blocks and four six-storey buildings, providing 242 homes on the plot to the north of Varley Halls.
Half the homes will be available for rent at a “national living wage” rate, defined as 37.5 per cent of the market rate. The rest will be available in shared ownership with Hyde.
Compton Road are paying BHCC close to £3,000 to replace a 1 x local tree.
The proposed development refers the loss or 19 x trees, will these have a cost of £57,000? (19 x £3,000 = £57,000!)
The proposed development refers replanting a further 200 trees?
What is that costing? (200 @ £3,000 = £600,000!)
Who is paying?
Will they deposit offer a grantee before work starts?
They played the ‘Elm disease’ card; that trumps any talk of reparations!
Daniel Yates was right to suggest the Green and Labor-led Council could be blamed for the catastrophic loss of trees in Coldean. Yes, some were lost to disease, quite a few, in fact. And we need new homes, and often that will mean losing older trees and, hopefully, planting newer ones.
I find it hard to believe, though, that the Council would let a private developer wreak this level of destruction in terms of trees, wildlife, ecology and biodiversity. It shows shameful double standards.
It is absolutely heartbreaking to see what is happening in Coldean Lane and to pull the “Dutch elm” card is very convenient. Disgusted with our council. Call themselves Green. I don’t think so. Will never vote for them again. The destruction of established habitats is shocking and deeply upsetting. I thought this accommodation was for students too. Not much needed social housing. Or costly apartments for the privileged few