A DAMNING report slamming plans to remove dozens of mature trees from a road in Wanstead has been delivered to Redbridge’s tree protection department.

The council told families on St Mary’s Avenue that the trees which line their road were diseased and dangerous and claimed that chopping them down was ‘absolutely necessary’.

But angry householders refused to accept the decision and clubbed together to employ their own tree experts who have delivered a withering verdict on the council’s decision.

In the report Mark Clews an arboriculturist from the company Arborhelp says that 12 of the 13 mature trees marked for the chop should be saved.

And he says: “The current proposed management of the avenue reflects a poor understanding of the real risks posed by these trees (and) demonstrates a disproportionate response to any such risks.”

Mr Clews points to government health and safety guidelines which deem a risk to the public of 1 in 10,000 or greater as acceptable and he says the majority of the trees on St Mary’s Avenue fall within that range.

He says that he has seen no evidence that the council has undertaken a risk assessment on the trees.

And he adds: “That so many trees have been considered to be so unsound at the same time is also (if correct), a rather damning statement of the historic management of them.”

Nigel Watson, 42, is one of the residents to have commissioned the report.
He said: “I have hope that the council will act on these recommendations and reconsider their decision.

“But if they do decide to go ahead then we would consider legal action because this would represent an unacceptable loss of amenity in the local area.”

Neighbour Lee McGinty, 39, says he spotted council tree officers looking at the trees last Friday and spoke to them about the report.

“I got the impression that they had read the report and already decided not to act on it,” he said.

“I do have some sympathy for them because they get it both ways from people who want trees chopped down and people who want them to stay.

“But if they implemented a proper risk framework like the one our expert suggested they would actually save themselves a lot of problems.”

A spokesman for Redbridge Council said: “We are considering the report's recommendations and will then liaise with Councillors as to the action to be taken.”