‘Feelings running high’ in protest to save trees
CAMPAIGNERS HEARTBROKEN AS ‘PRECIOUS LAND’ IS FENCED OFF FOR CAR PARK EXTENSION
CAMPAIGNERS attempting to stop four trees in Newark from being felled refused to leave the area even as fencing was put up around the site yesterday morning.
The area on London Road was fenced off ahead of plans to cut down the trees and turn the land into a car park extension.
But concerned local people ended up refusing to leave the fenced off area – leading to a tense stand-off with contractors from Newark and Sherwood District Council and Notting-hamhsire Police who asked them to leave the site.
Some of the protesters eventually left, but some continued to refuse to move.
The council is in a legally binding agreement with a developer who owns the land to build the car park extension – and claims that reversing its decision to chop down the trees would cost the taxpayer £1m.
Campaigner Nadia Ming, who was at the site while the fence was put up yesterday morning, said: “It’s just too much to see, too much to bear.
“This was such precious piece of land in the middle of the town with its trees and wildlife. It is going to be stripped bare.”
A representative of Protect Newark’s Green Spaces and Extinction Rebellion told the Local Democracy Reporting
Service: “We got there at around 6.45am this morning as a red alert had been put out by the group.
“There were around 50-70 people there to begin with. The police arrived and so did a lot of contractors from Newark and Sherwood District Council.
“The council started to chainsaw a hedge to put a gate in for the security fencing.
“It was so loud and chaotic, feelings were running very high. “Everybody is heartbroken. They feel so passionately about it.
“These are very ordinary and very concerned people of Newark.” The council said it wasn’t doing any more work on site today but it would be arresting people if they didn’t leave.
It comes after protesters were warned about trespassing by visiting the site as the council stressed that it is “private land and not public open space”.
The council confirmed its plan to fell the trees in a statement last week – but said it was a “tough decision” to make.
Deputy leader Councillor Keith Girling (Con) said in October: “This is not a situation wanted to get into, but we’re in a legally binding contract now.
“The cost of getting out of that contract is far too much.
“As a council, we’ve got to do what we think is right. Yes, there were mistakes made and we aren’t trying to deny that.
“We will move on from them and make sure they don’t happen again.”
This is not a situation wanted to get into, but we’re in a legally binding contract now
Councillor Keith Girling