“Damaging” Eyre Street trees saved from felling amid concerns over street shade
“We need to be thinking about ensuring there are places with shade in every neighbourhood”
Eight redwood trees in Sheffield city centre will not be felled "for the time being" after Sheffield Council hosted a public consultation on their future.
The council has opted not to remove the trees on Eyre Street after 83 per cent of respondents objected to the proposal.
The roots of the trees have been found to be causing damage to the pavement, raising stone paving and exposing people to trip hazards.
The council previously 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.”
It had proposed replacing each of the eight redwoods with Turkish hazels.
83 per cent of people who took part in a public consultation, including elected councillors, objected. 17 per cent of responses were in favour of the proposals.
The council will now review the "extensive feedback" from the consultation, and discuss with the Street Tree Partnership before any long term decisions are made.
Councillor Douglas Johnson said the size of the trees means they offer significant shade and cooling in an area of very little tree cover.
He explained there was a substantial and very noticeable difference in the shade they provided during the heatwaves this summer.
In response to the council’s pause on the felling, he said: “I’m delighted to hear that my objections were heeded and the council has rowed back on its plan to cut down eight magnificent city centre trees.
“Since the Greens came into the administration and the Lowcock report, trees are no longer cut down before the public is asked. I and others made comments and the council staff are now going to look at new options to address the trees."
The Lowcock report followed the Sheffield street trees scandal where thousands of healthy trees were unnecessarily felled from 2012 to 2018.
The inquiry found "the council’s behaviour amounted to a serious and sustained failure of strategic leadership" and described the dispute as "a dark episode in Sheffield".
“These are big trees in a big setting," Coun Johnson continued.
"Eyre Street will see some major redevelopment in the next few years and I think it is important not to throw away now what cannot be replaced.”
Liz Sharp, professor of water and planning at the University of Sheffield, said: “Some parts of Sheffield are better equipped than others with trees and with shelter.
“We can't grow trees in a year. But we definitely, both in the short term and long term, need to be thinking about ensuring that there are places with shade in every neighbourhood.”