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| Injunction halts tree felling in Plymouth city centre | Injunction halts tree felling in Plymouth city centre |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The tree felling is part of a regeneration plan for the city centre | The tree felling is part of a regeneration plan for the city centre |
| Contractors were forced to stop work to cut down more than 100 trees in Plymouth city centre after an injunction was issued. | Contractors were forced to stop work to cut down more than 100 trees in Plymouth city centre after an injunction was issued. |
| The High Court order was served after 01:00 GMT on Wednesday by the group Save the Trees of Armada Way (Straw). | |
| By that time the majority of the trees had been felled, but about 12 remain. | By that time the majority of the trees had been felled, but about 12 remain. |
| The tree felling is part of a regeneration plan for the city centre which will mean the planting of 169 new trees. | |
| The High Court order was served just after 01:00 GMT on Wednesday by the group Save the Trees of Armada Way | |
| The project was paused in February to allow a consultation to take place. | |
| But on Tuesday Plymouth City Council announced the revised project would restart. | But on Tuesday Plymouth City Council announced the revised project would restart. |
| BBC South West political reporter Ewan Murrie said Conservative council leader Richard Bingley had made an "urgent decision" to "override normal process" and cut down the trees. | |
| He described the scene on Wednesday morning as "stark and brutal regardless of your opinions about the regeneration", with sawdust around the stumps of an estimated 100 to 115 felled trees. | |
| Plymouth City Council said an additional 19 trees would be sowed alongside 150 semi-mature new trees | |
| On Tuesday protesters turned out in Plymouth city centre after contractors moved in to cut down the trees at about 20:30 GMT. | |
| Some attempted to halt the work by climbing over a perimeter that had been set up. | |
| Campaigner Ali White, from Straw, said the felling was "devastating" and the group would be asking for a judicial review of the decision. | |
| She told BBC Radio Devon: "It is not about planting more trees, it is about saving the trees that were here. | |
| "We are not against redevelopment, but they have not listened. | |
| "There was no need to fell them, why wait 30 years for mature trees when you have them already?" | |
| A city council spokesperson said the authority would be "obtaining legal advice once we have received the claimant's application, as directed by the court". | |
| Luke Pollard, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said the area looked like "a scene of environmental devastation". | |
| Overnight Plymouth’s Conservative council chopped down nearly 100 trees in the city centre. It’s a scene of environmental devastation and utter council vandalism. I’m appalled at the actions of the Tory Council. Sad day for our city. #plymouth #ArmadaWay pic.twitter.com/YU5veZJtlF | Overnight Plymouth’s Conservative council chopped down nearly 100 trees in the city centre. It’s a scene of environmental devastation and utter council vandalism. I’m appalled at the actions of the Tory Council. Sad day for our city. #plymouth #ArmadaWay pic.twitter.com/YU5veZJtlF |
| Under the regeneration work, Plymouth City Council had said 129 trees would be felled in Armada Way, but an additional 19 trees would be sowed alongside 150 semi-mature new trees. | Under the regeneration work, Plymouth City Council had said 129 trees would be felled in Armada Way, but an additional 19 trees would be sowed alongside 150 semi-mature new trees. |
| Campaigners had collected more than 12,000 signatures as part of a petition against the council removing the trees. | Campaigners had collected more than 12,000 signatures as part of a petition against the council removing the trees. |
| Assistant chief executive Giles Perritt said although the council knew "some people will not be happy", it needed to "get on with this scheme". | Assistant chief executive Giles Perritt said although the council knew "some people will not be happy", it needed to "get on with this scheme". |
| Mr Perritt said: "We've listened, we have made more environmental improvements and have added more trees but our core priority has to be creating a smart, business-friendly, attractive, city centre. | Mr Perritt said: "We've listened, we have made more environmental improvements and have added more trees but our core priority has to be creating a smart, business-friendly, attractive, city centre. |
| "We hope that the majority of our residents will appreciate that we have done all we can to address people's concerns." | "We hope that the majority of our residents will appreciate that we have done all we can to address people's concerns." |
| Plymouth City Council had said 129 trees would be felled in Armada Way, but an additional 19 trees would be sowed alongside 150 semi-mature new trees | Plymouth City Council had said 129 trees would be felled in Armada Way, but an additional 19 trees would be sowed alongside 150 semi-mature new trees |
| Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Plymouth | Plymouth |
| Plymouth Council | |
| Trees | Trees |