Hopes of saving old city centre tree fall flat despite campaign
THE oldest tree in Birmingham city centre has been chopped down despite a campaign to save it.
The 80-year-old London plane tree in Centenary Square, Broad Street, had been earmarked for the chop since last summer because it was said to be in the way of a new Metro tram line.
Later the authorities changed their reason, saying its roots were blocking proposed anti-terrorist measures in the form of concrete benches to block a Berlin or Nicestyle terror attack.
But campaigners from Birmingham Civic Society, the Birmingham Trees for Life campaign and the 1,500 people who signed a petition to save it had been given hope of a reprieve when council boss- es agreed to take another look at their plans and an extra root survey was carried out.
But this weekend hopes were dashed as surgeons moved in.
A joint statement from the city council and Transport for West Midlands said: “We have looked long and hard at all the options to retain this particular tree but because the Metro extension and the Centenary Square development, with its in-built anti-terror measures, have been designed as one integrated scheme it has sadly not been possible.
“While it is unfortunate we will have to lose this London plane tree, we will be planting 59 semi-mature trees as part of the new square design, making the area even greener than before.” their tree