Giant redwood chopped down ‘by mistake’ at new-build site
A TOWERING giant redwood has been chopped down at a new housing estate in Swansea, “by mistake”.
The tree may have been up to 200 years old and was probably planted by the land-owning family who created what is now Penllergare Valley Woods.
Eighty new homes are being built at the site of the former Valley Woods mansion house, which was demolished in the 1960s before Lliw Valley Council moved to new offices there.
Enzo Sauro, the boss of developer Enzo’s Homes, said the giant redwood had been cut down by mistake.
He said: “We are going to replace it with a mature replica tree.”
The replacement tree would be planted in the same place as the felled one, he said, adding that the error had occurred because the one that was cut down “was not marked up correctly”.
The giant redwood had a tree preservation order, and Swansea council is looking into the matter.
A council spokesman said: “No decisions have been made yet in terms of any possible enforcement action.”
Penllergaer councillor Wendy Fitzgerald said photos of the tree appeared to show it outside a fence which surrounded the development site.
“It’s just unbelievable,” she said. “I’ve got so many people angry about it.”
Penllergare Valley Woods was developed during the 19th century by the Dillwyn Llewelyn family.
The vast area became overgrown and neglected, but has been restored by the Penllergare Trust since the turn of the century, with backing from the Heritage Lottery Fund among others.
Lliw Valley Council opened its new offices there in 1982. They have been demolished, and Swansea council sold the 14-acre plot to Enzo’s Homes.