The latest tree to be felled as part of Derby City Council's blitz on greenery in the city centre is a 150 year old London Plane at the junction of Friargate and Stafford street. It is yet another victim of the ill-conceived 'Connecting Derby' ring road, which is scheduled to start building in spring of this year. The tree was an integral part of a Victorian planting scheme carried out at a time when trees were more highly valued by the local authority than now.
What a pity that such a fine tree has been destroyed to make way for an out-dated and unnecessary road, which has caused so much damage elsewhere to our already sorely mangled old town.
PICTURES: The tree in 2006 and reduced to a stump in January 2009
10 comments:
Derby becomes more and more featureless and characterless with every passing day.
I was sad to see the veteran ash tree disappear last week from the corner of Burton Rd./ Constable Drive, Littleover. It did have a Tree Preservation Order.
Eileen Simons
Hi Bill,
I enjoyed reading your article in the Evening Telegraph and thought it was very much on point.
I am writing regard to current planning application to reduce and cut down a set of five Corsican Pine trees at the site of 2 Uplands Gardens off St Chads Rd in Derby. The trees are protected under a Tree Preservation Order but I concerned that they will be removed regardless of the TPO. I have already sent a written objection to the planning department, who now have two objections registered (four objections are required before the application goes to committee).
I was hoping that you may have some personal interest, or advice, in this case so that it may be taken further and hopefully prevent the destruction of these beautiful trees due to irresponsible development.
Please contact me at jumanjay@googlemail.com.
Kind regards,
Andrzej Gierak
i looked into this connecting derby stuff, they are actually going to be planting more three's than whats been ftaken out.. i think that is a good thing
it meant to read "tree's than whats been taken out"
The powers that be may have said that they will be planting more trees than they have removed, but they will no doubt be ornamental varieties of less worth to nature.
Also no amount of single widely spaced trees can replace what was a complete habitat. Not only have the trees been removed but the natural shrubs beneath will have been removed or will be lost, and most if not all of the other life within the habitat will, or will have perished.
Hardly a good thing.
Another recent loss are the trees around the cockpit island/ station approach area. The stumps of some remain leading me to question their loss if they were 'in the way'. The planting around the multi-storey car park is very low level, so trees that were lost here have not been replaced. Elsewhere new planting often consists of small ornamental trees, with little environmental value, due to the ease of maintenance. TPO's seem to have little value when the council decides a tree should go. Power to your cause Bob. P.S. Is anon. drunk?
I agree with you on the trees,its scandalous that mature trees that have been part of Derby`s street scene for many years are flippantly destroyed and "eventually"replaced with saplings for the yobs to swing on and snap on Saturday nights.This connecting Derby ring road business is in my opinion the singularly most destructive project to ever fall upon Derby.Many Victorian houses and other old buildings are being demolished,woodland and wildlife destroyed and displaced and for what??.Just for another faceless tarmac and concrete racetrack to cut the city in two,add to the already serious pollution and noise and add more burden to the emergency services due to all too frequent smash ups,attempted suicides and car fires etc,etc.
They are fast turning the city centre into a derelict dump that no one will want to visit,live in,shop in and it will simply become a commuter route to get from A to B at the highest speed and in the shortest time possible.
Whatever is happening to our historic and once proud city??
Spotted another large tree being chainsawed down today. Genus unknown, near Jurys Inn. As this building is largely finished I can see no reason why this tree could be in the way. Can anyone enlighten me?
I'm very concerned about the old site of Ivy House Special School which is between Bateman Street and Osmaston Rd. The school is currently being demolished. There are a good number of mature trees on the site which support a diverse bird population. There are also bats, roost whereabouts unknown. I did inform DCC last year that there may be bats on the site. Most people wouldn't realise, but at the back of Bateman Street and part of Osmaston road there is a lot of greenery.
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