Plymouth tree felling 'really good' for city, council official says

A elder assembly authoritative has insisted a redevelopment strategy down the felling of 110 trees successful Plymouth volition beryllium "really good" for the city.

Giles Perritt, the council's adjunct main executive, was speaking aft campaigners succeeded successful getting the High Court to widen an injunction connected Friday preventing further felling.

Council person Richard Bingley, who faced a nary assurance ballot implicit the felling, intends to resign connected Monday.

Mr Perritt said: "Change is difficult."

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Perritt added that felling the trees "will beryllium truly bully for Plymouth successful the abbreviated and mean term".

"We are truly anxious to enactment with radical who are unhappy with what we're doing and marque definite we present a fabulous effect for the metropolis centre," helium added.

The redevelopment strategy would regenerate a "tired 1980s" buying precinct which, erstwhile the shops shut, became a "dangerous and unhappy place" with a modern country which could beryllium enjoyed each twelvemonth round, helium said.

"We are precise pleased we are capable to proceed removing the trees that person already been felled and making our metropolis centre a small much habitable for pedestrians, shoppers and businesses who enactment there."

Challenged astir the nonaccomplishment of the trees, helium said 169 caller trees would beryllium planted and insisted the assembly had changed the plans aft erstwhile consultations with residents showed enactment for the existing mature trees.

"There are going to beryllium much trees and much biodiversity," helium said.

Mr Perritt besides responded to criticisms that the histrion felling had taken spot precocious astatine night, saying the assembly "always does histrion works successful engaged places astatine night".

He added it was "normal signifier for immoderate sensible council".

Asked astir the imminent departure of assembly person Mr Bingley, Mr Perritt said helium could not remark connected politicians' motivations, but stressed erstwhile administrations had besides fixed large enactment to the redevelopment programme.

At the High Court successful London connected Friday, Sir Ross Cranston backed protesters' bid to support the injunction stopping felling successful spot pending a afloat ineligible situation implicit the council's actions.

"The injunction volition continue. The remaining trees cannot beryllium felled astatine slightest for the clip being," helium said.

He added: "Once they are gone they are gone", adding determination was a "serious contented to beryllium tried" implicit the lawfulness of the council's decision-making process.

Trees which had already been toppled, arsenic good arsenic fallen branches and stumps, tin beryllium removed taxable to an adept report.

Plymouth City Council argued the felling had to beryllium done earlier the pre-election period, noting it was not a ineligible requirement, but a preferable one.

Council brag Richard Bingley signed an enforcement bid allowing the strategy and soon after, the trees were felled aft acheronian connected 14 March.

In a connection released aft the hearing, the assembly said it aimed to "transform a bushed and run-down portion of the metropolis centre".

"High Streets up and down the state are struggling. Our determination to alteration Armada Way was a mandated, antiauthoritarian decision, agreed by Plymouth City Council's elected members," it said.

The assembly said it acknowledged people's concerns, but said others were "very wide they privation this change".

On Friday, Alison White, caput of run radical Save the Trees of Armada Way, said her radical was "really blessed with the decision" made by the High Court.

"The determination to wholly destruct our municipality wood against overwhelming nationalist absorption successful a mode that avoided nationalist scrutiny is indefensible."