Eight trees to be chopped down after causing damage to busy Sheffield city centre pavement
“We appreciate that these trees are valuable, but are not the right trees for the space they have been planted in,”
Eight trees in the Sheffield city centre will be chopped down after the council deemed them to be unsuitable for the space they are currently occupying.
Sheffield is statistically speaking the greenest place in the UK and has long prided itself on having the highest tree-to-person ratio of any city in Europe. However, some trees have been deemed as a problem due to the impact they are having on those walking through the city centre.
In a statement, Sheffield City Council announced that they’ve been carrying out an investigation into as many as 30 trees on Eyre Street (S1) and discovered that eight Metasequoia Glyptostoboides (commonly known as Dawn Redwood) have been causing irreparable damage to the highway network.
According to the council, these trees have been causing the pavement to rise significantly due to tree root growth and spread.
They add that these roots are lifting and displacing stone and clay paving, including tree pit stone edgings - and that the uneven surfacing, which includes gaps in the pavement, has created trip hazards, which all walkers are currently exposed to.
In a statement, the council said: “We appreciate that these trees are valuable, but are not the right trees for the space they have been planted in.
“This species of tree grows at such a rate that it would be very difficult to manage this growth and the stability and safety of highway infrastructure in a busy city centre setting.”
“An assessment has been carried out by our highway experts into the damage caused by trees along the length of Eyre Street, in the City Centre.
“Every one of these trees was subjected to a significant site investigation and root excavation. The results showed that these eight trees are not able to be retained, and will therefore need to be replaced.”
The council also explained that they are hoping to replace all the chopped down trees with a Corylus colurna (commonly known as Turkish hazel) and place them in the same location as the original trees. However, this may not be possible in all locations such as where there are underground services, cables, or if it is found that a specific location is not appropriate.
If consultation is agreed the trees will be removed two weeks after approval.
Those interested in sharing their views can do so via the consultation link.