SURBITON TREES AXED

Several seemingly healthy trees have been cut down in Surbiton in recent weeks.  To make things worse, Kingston Council now have a policy not to replace any street trees.

 

The large tree outside Bosco Bar and Hotel on St Mark's Hill was cut down about a week ago at the same time as the tree outside 4 Claremont Road.  The trees looked healthy and green, but the Council insists that they were either dead or half-dead and needed to be cut down for Health & Safety reasons.  It is of course difficult to argue with the Council when they say that the trees were potentially dangerous. The work is carried out by a contractor rather than Council employed staff and it does make us wonder if it simply makes life easier to cut down some trees.

 

NO MONEY FOR STREET TREES  

Amazingly Kingston Council advised that they no longer have a tree planting budget, so they no longer replace trees that are cut down.  They say that the only way new trees will be planted is if they are paid for by private sponsorship, traffic schemes, Section 106 payments through the planning system, or Neighbourhood Committee discretionary funding.  I think this is worrying.  In Surbiton we pay the highest council tax in London, and surely there should be enough money put aside to pay for replacement street trees. 

 

PRESSURE TO APPROVE PLANNING PERMISSION  

Another concern is that it puts pressure on councillors to approve potentially unwanted planning applications.  When a planning application is approved for new houses or flats, the council receives money from the developers to pay for local environmental improvements (Section 106 payments).  By not putting any money aside for tree replacement, this puts unnecessary pressure on councillors to approve planning applications for the wrong reasons.

 

ARE BORIS TREES THE ANSWER?  

There is another way that Surbiton could receive some trees.  London Mayor Boris Johnson has pledged to plant 10,000 trees in London in hi four-year term.  Unfortunately Kingston Council missed out on extra trees in the first year as they didn't get around to applying!

 

Kingston Council can choose two areas for priority tree planting from the Mayor's tree fund.  The current priority areas in the Royal Borough of Kingston are Central Kingston and Surbiton South.  The Surbiton South area takes in roads to the south of Surbiton rail tracks, all the way to Fishponds Park and beyond.

 

The full list of Surbiton streets currently on the list for Boris trees is as follows:  Alfriston Close, Alpha Road, Beaconsfield Road, Berrylands, Berrylands Road, Birchington Road, Britannia Road, Broomfield Road, Browns Road, Christ Church Road, Douglas Road, Etwell Place, Ewell Road, Fulmar Close, Gordon Road, Hobill Walk, Hollyfield Road, Howard Road, King Charles Crescent, King Charles Road, Lysander Gardens, Mayberry Place, Middle Green Close, Paragon Grove, Paragon Place, Park Road, Parklands, Richmond Grove, Smith Street, South Bank, South Place, South Terrace, Surbiton Hill Park, The Avenue, The Retreat and Warwick Grove.  Some of these trees have already been planted.

 

Hopefully the rest of Surbiton will also benefit from the Boris trees in future years.  However, the Mayor's tree planting scheme is meant to increase the number of trees in London, rather than replace a service that used to be provided by the Council.  I think Surbiton council tax payers are getting a raw deal on street trees.

 

SPONSOR A TREE  

The cost of sponsoring a tree (from a species list supplied by the Tree Officer) is £360.00. This includes the tree and planting.  For more details, email environment@rbk.kingston.gov.uk.

 

Have you noticed any other seemingly healthy trees being cut down in Surbiton recently?  Let us know.