Anger over felling of Cotham's 'beautiful' old trees
Four mature trees have been felled in the grounds of Cotham School, causing an outcry among residents who live nearby.
The trees, believed to be more than 100 years old and which stood about 50ft high, were near the rear entrance to the school in Cotham Road.
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They included a holm oak, two sycamores and a beech.
Cotham School is currently undergoing major rebuilding work by Skanska on behalf of Bristol City Council.
It stressed the trees had been knocked down to improve access and build a wheelchair ramp at the rear of the school – with planning approval from the city council.
Cotham Road resident Alison Bull, 49, said: "I left for work in the morning as I usually do and when I got home at lunchtime, they were gone.
"I could not believe it. I was absolutely shocked.
"They were beautiful trees which attracted wildlife and helped to create a screen for the school.
"It's a devastating loss of beauty and privacy for this neighbourhood."
Roger Mortimer, from the Redland and Cotham Amenities Society, said: "We keep a close watch on planning applications and there was no mention that these trees were going to come down whatsoever."
Vassili Papastavrou, from pressure group www.bristolstreettrees.org, said: "This is absolutely outrageous and yet another example of trees being removed unnecessarily in Bristol.
"I went to meetings on site and we were promised a 'green' building project. How wrong we were to take them seriously."
Councillor Neil Harrison (Lib Dem, Cotham), who has now taken up the residents' complaint, is demanding answers and compensation for the community.
He claimed the trees were felled without permission.
He said: "The developers had submitted a landscape diagram asking for them to go, but this had not been granted.
"The site is in a Conservation Area and you can't just rip trees out without permission or consulting residents.
"I am pushing for whoever is responsible to compensate our local community with the full monetary value of the lost trees.
"As a starting point, they should replace the lost trees as a matter of urgency – and with substantial semi-mature trees, not tiny little saplings."
Rob Richley of Skanska, said: "To make way for the new entrance and access ramp, it has been necessary to remove a small number of trees. This work was included in the overall planning consent given by Bristol City Council last November.
"A condition of planning consent was that a further expert assessment of the development's implications for trees on the site be submitted. This assessment, which detailed the existing trees to be removed, was submitted to the city council on December 22."
Skanska and its partners in the Bristol Local Education Partnership, the city council's children's department and the Government agency Partnerships for Schools, always seek to ensure that all planning conditions are complied with before any work begins, he added.
"On this occasion, a small number of trees were removed before formal written approval had been received, which was expected by March 12," he said.
"As part of the landscaping work agreed with the city council, the trees that have been removed will be replaced with new ones nearby, and in addition many more new trees will be planted elsewhere on the site."
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by Andy, Cotham
Wednesday, May 13 2009, 10:12PM
“Neil, I am a local resident affected by this issue and would like to take the opportunity to thank you very much for your support to date in fighting our cause. I wonder if you have any update?
Whilst writing, I would also like to bring to your attention yet another change to the 'approved' plans which whilst this time has been notified to local residents, only at the very last minute. We have today received a letter from Skanska informing us that they are putting site cabins and a security hut directly outside the school on the Cotham Road entrance - for 12 months! Aside from the impact this will have on the already difficult situation with parking, more importantly, as I'm sure you are aware, it was only a few years ago that a young mother to be was tragically knocked down outside the school and her baby died. This proposed erection of temporary buildings seems to be a clear hazard for the local community, school visitors and children in crossing an extremely busy road. It is not clear to us why it has only been realised at such a late stage that these facilities needed to be on the road (the facilities were originally intended to be held on site, but we note that the May 2008 plans have now been manually changed because a substation is now located where they originally had the units). Is there anything that you are able to do to prevent this from happening? Surely they could be located on the vast school site somewhere?
Also whilst writing, if anyone out there wants to lend support to a growing team of concerned residents, please feel free to drop by any of the houses immediately opposite the Cotham Road entrance - we would be thrilled to have your support!”
by Steve, Cotham
Sunday, May 10 2009, 10:20AM
“I should add that I live nearby, and we've repeatedly had to fight off attempts in the past for the school to cut down all the trees along here -back when the sports block was built. A few years back this school had greenery, it had a playground. now it has a sports/drama block, and with this new development, a chunk of the football pitch will go to portakabins, ones they claim will be taken away at the end of building, but which I fear will not.
I take my son to primary school on the pavement (scooter) or on the bike. The main hazard spots on the journey are the schools I pass on the way -including this one- and the final destination. Because it is here where the parents park up on the pavement, over every build-out.
Compared to the local primaries, Cotham School has a lot more kids walking in, getting the bus and the train. But we need to make the whole area better for walking kids of all ages to school easier and safer -and adding an easier way to dropoff disabled schoolkids on the school-no-parking zone, then no, it doesn't get my support.”
by Steve, Cotham
Sunday, May 10 2009, 10:06AM
“Peter, this is the back entrance to the school. To get to it the kids have to sprint across cotham road, which lacks a zebra crossing at this end. The only way to safely drop off a disabled schoolkid would be to illegally park in the school-no-parking zone or block the coach-only parking, so endangering everyone else.
The main entrance to the school is round the corner -Cotham Lawn Road- which is already fairly accessible and offers some legal parking options.
If the plans included a safe crossing of Cotham Road then there would be a case for disabled access, but as it stands that sound more like an excuse for their actions, rather than a rationale.”
by Councillor Neil Harrison, Cotham
Saturday, May 09 2009, 9:06PM
“From what I have seen thus far, I don't believe that the statement from Skanska is correct. The Council's planning officers are quite clear that the landscape plan had not been signed off and that there was no permission, written or otherwise, to fell the trees. I look forward to getting to the bottom of this and finding out who thought it was acceptable to remove 150 year old trees without consultation or permission.
Peter - I am very happy to see the disabled ramp go in, but in the original approved plans, this didn't require any loss of trees. The developers seem to have changed the plans without telling anyone and without getting permission.
The compensation I refer to is about replacing the trees with trees of the same value, not financial compensation.”
by peter, bristol, bristol
Saturday, May 09 2009, 12:44PM
“They are only trees. I would have thought that as it is supposed to improve access and a new disabled entrance then that is a benefit for all.That is the disabled community and the safety of all of our children - but once again as is the culture nowadays people our already commenting about compensation”