Injunction continues as High Court examines controversial chopping down of trees
The tree stumps will be moved from the city centre
Last updated 24th Mar 2023
There’s been a reprieve for the 19 trees still standing in Plymouth city centre.
The High Court’s today ruled an injunction against cutting them down will remain in place.
90 people helped crowdfund the legal challenge - after the council chopped down 110 trees on Tuesday night last week.
The felling only stopped when campaigners secured a temporary injunction at 1am on the Wednesday morning.
The trees were felled as part of a £12.7 million plan to revamp of the city and help regenerate it - with the council pledging to replant more trees.
Around 16,000 people had signed a petition calling for changes to the regeneration plans.
The council issued a statement following the felling - which it did within hours of revealing the results of a public consultation which opposed the plans.
19 trees remain standing and three have birds nesting in them at the moment which means they can’t be felled.
Members of the action group Straw (Save the Trees of Armada Way) served the injunction on Plymouth City Council after around 90 people donated to the crowdfunding appeal - which currently stands at roughly £21,000
A High Court judge today found there is a serious issue to be tried over the lawfulness of the decision by the council to use urgency powers to approve the development.
It was ruled that the felled trees and stumps can be removed - as they haven't been able to be touched since the felling started,
The removal of the stumps will be subject to expert opinion though - after campaigners claimed it could damage the wildlife nesting in them.
Members of the Straw campsign will be involved in the process, but not have the final say
To donate to the crowdfunding appeal click here
In a statement, Plymouth Environmental said: "The timing of the felling must have been deliberate too. Did the Council seriously think that no-one would notice ?
"And, in terms of consultation, it was clear from the start that ‘meaningful’ would mean ‘meaningless’.
"The survey was clearly written to favour the council’s stance but the implications that those opposing the scheme did not understand the process was, at best, disrespectful and at worst, downright insulting. It was nowhere near the ‘best practice’ in community consultation we’d expect.
"When Environment Plymouth was established in 2017 we were told by council officers that a new community network for the environment would not work, was not needed and would be ignored. This seemed very odd for teams that were so closely involved with the city’s sustainable development over the years.
"Environment Plymouth will be carefully considering any future work with the council until such time that it is clear something like this will never happen again."