4 days ago
Felling of Falmouth trees 'legally required' says council
The felling of three lime trees on a Falmouth street was "legally required", the council has Council said due to court proceedings, it had not previously been able to share details of the damage or explain why it was necessary to remove the lime trees from Trelawney said options to retain the trees while preventing further damage had been investigated but utilities under the footpath had made it separate services, including streetlight power cables, water pipes and internet cables, run beneath the footpath between the boundary wall and the trees were tangled with the tree roots, the authority added.
The surface of the road and the footway have also been disrupted by roots and kerbs have been removed because they were unsafe, the council said. It said the roots of the trees have caused, and were still causing, serious damage to infrastructure on nearby land and property. Arrangements would be made for them to be removed safely and for four new trees to be planted, added the council.
'No alternative'
Portfolio holder for transport Dan Rogerson said the council understood how much the trees meant to the local community, after protests were held to save the trees."It's been frustrating for all of us that we couldn't share more details sooner, but we had to respect the legal process," he said."We value the role trees play in our towns and neighbourhoods - for wildlife, wellbeing, and climate."Mr Rogerson said the council has planted more than 1.6 million trees through the Forest for Cornwall added: "We always look for ways to protect and preserve trees wherever we can. "But in this case, the damage to nearby property, public infrastructure, and essential services leaves us with no safe or viable alternative."
