TREES AXED ON OLD HOSPITAL SITE "NOT VALUABLE"

17-12-2007

Birmingham Council has admitted ignoring the advice of its own planning officers who recommended that tree preservation orders should be issued in the grounds of an old hospital in Bordesley Green.  Trees are now being chopped down on the site, but officials insist these are "not valuable".

As The Stirrer reported at the weekend, demolition of the defunct Yardley Green Hospital is underway as the prelude to creating a controversial 85-bed mental health unit. 

This has angered local residents who’ve told us that trees are being bulldozed as part of the works, even though the new scheme only has outline planning permission.

We revealed that in January, Council planning officer Lesley Sheldrake opposed the development.  She argued that there were too many good quality, mature trees which should have been issued with preservation orders (see link here ).

So what has been done in the nine months since then to enforce her recommendations?  Naff all, I’m afraid.

Birmingham Council told us today that there were 300 trees at Yardley Green, of which 200 are going to be kept. 

They couldn’t tell us why no TPO’s have been issued, but a spokesman said, “the valuable trees are the ones on the frontages and boundaries and adjacent to neighbouring properties.

“This is what’s been agreed in the plans.  There’s an agreement 200 trees are going to stay, that’s the most important thing”.

Campaigner Nazar Hussain disputed the Council’s account saying, “trees have definitely gone from the boundary area.”

The Stirrer’s investigations will continue.

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