Huge bill to save memorial trees
Taxpayers in Sheffield could be left having to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds to save a string of trees planted almost a century ago to honour the fallen in the First World War.
TAXPAYERS IN Sheffield could be left having to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds to save a string of trees planted almost a century ago to honour the fallen in the First World War from a controversial felling programme.
Sheffield City Council officers revealed yesterday that it could cost up to £350,000 to retain 26 memorial trees, a figure described as ‘unaffordable’ by leader Julie Dore.
After a working group said the trees should be treated differently to others in the city, councillors asked for detailed plans to be drawn up show the public exactly how they could be retained – and at what cost.
Twenty-three of the 54 memorial trees in Western Road, Crookes, along with others in streets such as Heathfield Road in Frecheville, were chosen for felling and replacement.
It is part of the 25-year Streets Ahead PFI contract with Amey., which has faced strong local opposition and even prompted an intervention from Environment Secretary Michael Gove.
But the council agreed to look again at its plans after a campaign by residents and others against the felling of the memorial trees, which were planted in 1919 to commemorate Sheffield pupils who died in the First World War.
Yesterday the council’s head of highway maintenance Steve Robinson said he thought that work could cost about £350,000.
In Western Road alone, he said, the figure could come to £250,000. Three of those trees are diseased so need to be felled.
But in order to keep the remaining 20, the pavement would need to be built out around them.
This would mean taking away at least three parking spaces per tree and make Western Road into a one-way street.
Other issues such as ramping to cover roots, new drains to stop homes flooding and repairs to properties being damaged by roots would also have to be paid for.
Mr Robinson said there were 12 more memorial trees across the city that could not be saved so would need to be felled. Six could be retained if the pavement were built out, which including the related highway work could cost about £100,000.
“That’s not a result of a detailed design,” said Mr Robinson. “We would have to spend some money to do a detailed design.”
Cabinet member for the environment Bryan Lodge said the council did not yet have a plan with detailed costing included that it could show to residents of Western Road and other streets. Officers will now work with Amey to come up with potential solutions and costings. War memorial trees will not be felled while discussions take place, unless they are dangerous.
We would have to spend some money to do a detailed design. Steve Robinson, Sheffield City Council, warns the bill could climb even higher.