Pressure is mounting on Birmingham City Council to reject plans to cut down the city’s oldest tree in order to make way for the Midland Metro extension.
Viv Astling, former chairman of the National Forest Company, said the city’s residents and visitors to the ICC “deserve more than the sight of bricks and concrete.”
And in a forceful letter he added that he couldn’t believe the city council would allow the axeing of the 140-year-old tree in Centenary Square to happen.
The letter said: “Congratulations to Coun Fiona Williams for highlighting the possible loss of the London Plane tree in Broad Street to the Metro Extension.
“I cannot believe that the City Council will allow the line of the Metro involving the loss of their tree.
“This tree is part of the city’s urban heritage, which the council is charged to protect, being the final tree in the 1870’s landscape scheme.
“It has a unique and extensive eco-system which cannot be replaced through the planting of new trees.
“Moreover, where are those trees to be planted, if as West Midlands Integerated Transport Authority (WMITA) says, there is no room because of the network of underground utilities.
“Having seen the complete elimination of trees in Corporation Street with the last Metro extension surely that dismal scene will not be repeated in Broad Street.
“Don’t the city’s residents and visitors to the ICC deserve more than the sight of bricks and concrete?
“After all the City Council has declared itself to be the UK’s first Natural Capital City (the Biophillic City) championing green and sustainable actions. “Its PR refers to it being one of the UK’s Greenest Cities.
“Its approved Green Living Spaces Plan (2013) endorsed by ‘the environmentally good and great’ talks of tree lined footpaths and the important of urban trees generally.
“In addition, the council, although it now has no budget for tree planting, supports Birmingham Trees for Life in its mission to highlight the importance of trees and increase tree cover in all parts of the city.
“If those are the council’s policies, doesn’t WMITA now need a Plan B for the route instead of wasting public resources by having to alter the Metro line at the last moment?
The National Forest Company is leading the creation of The National Forest, a new, forested landscape and destination across 200 square miles of central England.
Forest cover (woods and other habitats) has trebled to almost 20 per cent and alongside a transformed environment the economic and social well-being of the area continues to grow.
Almost 700 people have signed a petition calling for the city centre’s to be saved from the axe.
The London Plane tree is the last of 99 planted on Broad Street in 1876 and has survived a series of major developments in the 20th century, including the creation of Centenary Square.
Campaigners, including the Birmingham Trees for Life group and Birmingham Civic Society, are demanding the tree be spared.
They point out that trams ran along Broad Street until 50 years ago without disturbing the tree.
The petition is calling for the city council to put a Tree Preservation Order to protect it from bulldozers and asking transport bosses to leave it in place.
Coun Williams (Lab, Hodge Hill) is also calling for more to be done to make a feature of it.
“We should think of doing something with the tree, given the historical significance of it.” she said.
* Please sign the petition at http://epetition.birmingham.public-i.tv/epetition_core/view/Birminghamoldesttree
