Residents oppose felling of Eastbourne trees

The trees in Victoria Drive, located next to a wall at the former Victoria Drive Bowling Green, could be cut down if the application is approved by Eastbourne Borough Council’s planning committee.

In the planning application, the architects say the trees need the support and protection of the wall, which is in turn putting pressure on the wall.

If the wall were to collapse, the trees would be vulnerable, architects Simpson Hilder Associates Limited said.

They said, “There is a substantial health and safety risk, both in terms of likelihood and impact should the wall collapse and/or for one or more trees to fall.

“The current state of the wall due to its age and the pressure exerted on it over a long period of time, means swift action is required.

“The resultant impact means a large portion of wall will require replacement with the associated loss of the existing trees.”

However, director of the Eastbourne ECO Action Network CIC Miles Berkley believes there has been too many trees cut down recently and offered a different solution to the problem.

Mr Berkley said, “Removing these mature and beautiful trees at a time when we’re losing so many locally to Ash Dieback and Dutch Elm Disease is just wrong.

“Each of these absorbs at least 22kg of C02 a year, provides a home for local rooks, and the roots absorb water which alleviates flooding.

“I suggest they remove the existing wall, protect the trees, plant a hedgerow and possibly a fence if necessary. And forget replacing with a new wall, and a suggestion to replant with fewer young trees”

Old Town councillors Jonathan Dow, Amanda Morris and Peter Diplock and East Sussex county councillor John Ungar say they are all against the application and are doing what they can to stop it from happening by working together to find a solution.

To view the application, visit the council planning website under the application number 200382.

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