Open letter to Penarth Cllrs dismay at lack of flowers

The Penarth Civic Society would like to see the reintroduction of planting at the roundabout which would enhance the environment at that location as clearly evidenced by these photographs.

As members of Penarth Civic Society we are dismayed at the omission of a floral display on Penarth’s central clock roundabout. 

It shows a lack of accountability by the Vale of Glamorgan Council, as well as lack of sensitivity to civic pride, sense of place and well being, everything the town plan seeks to encourage.  

The excellent floral displays in Alexandra Gardens and on the Esplanade stand in contrast.  We ask for consultation with the civic and business communities to guarantee future floral displays.

Anne Greagsby 

Max Wallis 

Committee Members of  

Penarth Civic Society 

Cymdeithas Ddinesig 

GOT TO WED to SAVE HEADLANDS TREES with Tree Protection Orders - TPOs

Penarth Town Council Planning Committee will be discussing this application on Wednesday evening, following the Town Council meeting at West House 27th July at 7.00pm.. You are able to attend the meeting. However if you wish to speak, you need to contact the Town Council offices on 02920 700721 as soon as possible, so that you can be "booked in" to speak that evening. You are given 3 minutes. You can object online here   

Planning Application 2016/00773/TPO

There is an application to fell NINE Penarth Trees with TPOs. This is part of a scheme to fell 19 trees and reduce the crowns on many others which will radically change this historic parkland landscape up to the cliff-edge of Penarth Headland although it’s a habitat for owls and perhaps other protected species, the relevant species assessment has not been  done.

Seven Reasons why you should refuse this application

 1. Require the applicants to supply proper information, sufficient to identify the individual trees, and allow independent persons to inspect the TPO trees and enable judgement in context of their amenity value and listing critieria. The original TPO documents should be provided.

2. Consider making TPOs to cover all or most of the 40 trees that are intended for felling and lack protection at present. The scale of the felling of mature trees means probably significant impacts on both landscape and biodiversity.  Both should be assessed. 

3. Habitats Regs assessment is also needed for protected species, given that owls are known to forage and inhabit this area.  These would inform and support the decision on further TPOs.

4. The Council's biodiversity officer should be consulted, specifically over protecting the area under ancient and semi-mature woodland/parkland of Welsh government policy, in consultation with NRW specialists.

5. If any TPO trees are in the end to be felled, the Council must consider issuing treereplacement notices for each tree lost.  

  

6. Given that more time is needed for these assessments and decision, the Council should re-start the 6-week period once the proper required information is received for identifying the TPO trees.  That information should include the reasons given in each TPO notice. 

7. One could suspect that this tree clearance is in advance of any planning application for building on MG 2(25) Headlands School, St. Augustine’s Road to avoid the more difficult checks and balances as in  POLICY MD 3 - DESIGN OF NEW DEVELOPMENT like environmental impact assessments etc  

Adjacent to the Headlands site. This other planning application 2015/01449/FUL/ has recently been re-submitted by the developers and the application still proposes the felling of 38 mature (and for the most part, healthy) trees. This I believe is an important consideration in relation to the proposal to fell trees on the Headlands site because if both proposals went ahead - 57 mature trees would be felled within a very small area . I am arguing that this % loss of habitat would be significant and could have a devastating effect on wildlife and birds.  

Plans to to fell 19 Penarth Trees at Headlands school St Augustines Road

The Arboricultural Report now on the application lists at least 19 trees to be felled and many more pollarded and severely reduced in size. This is more an entire woodland area to be decimated. This will have a major impact on the landscape of Penarth locally and from afar, a not so leafy Penarth. There are no plans to bring this to the planning committee at present. We hope a Cllr will call this in.  Still time to comment.     
An application to fell - those trees with TPOs - Horse chestnut, 3x Sycamores, Holm Oak- 2 Cherry, Sycamore-fell, located at Main Building, Headlands School, St Augustine's Road, Penarth from Mitie Landscapes Ltd, 2,Colwick Quays, Colwick Quay Bus Park, Colwick. The decision has been delegated to officers and is due on 17^th August 2016

The documents are now online - after a request from me to Mrs. M. R. Krzemieniewski (assistant planner for trees) with the asked for  work to trees application form for trees with TPOs - Trees protected by TPO should be numbered according to the First Schedule of the Tree Preservation Order. For example - T3 oak; two beech and one birch in G2. You must identify the trees on a sketch plan showing the location in relation to building(s), named roads and boundaries

Mrs. M. R. Krzemieniewski is the officer dealing with this now returned from holiday.  she says in her email to me 'I did an urgent site visit to inspect the trees.' seems she is depending on a report saying these trees are suddenly all rotten. She says it isn't going to planning cmte as she has made the decision! (delegated to officers) Her number is 01446 704742. 
A neighbour says ....and we absolutely agree ...'I am also concerned about access to the planned new houses.' Do you know anything about this? 

Map of trees with TPOs to be felled
larger map below 

I object to the felling of TPO trees on headlands site, because of the loss of habitat to owls and other birds. This site has already had numerous trees felled and ironically, one of these at the front of the buildings has been carved into an owl. I am also concerned about access to the planned new houses. I suffer enough noise and disruption from the staff and taxis bringing the children to school and also from football players using the astro turf pitch during the evenings.

Response from officer who proposes to permit the chopping of all these  trees and those with tree protection orders 

Margaret Krzemieniewski received 13 July Assistant Planner Tree Preservation

Thank you for your email dated 28^th June, 2016. 

 I am aware of concerns of Penarth residents regarding tree felling in the area.  In this respect, (before taking annual leave last week from 29^th June), I did an urgent site visit to inspect the trees.  The application is supported by a tree inspection report prepared by a professional arboriculturist and is available on the Vale of Glamorgan’s website to view.  It details the findings pertaining to each of the trees listed (under URGENT tree works).   The report is part of the maintenance of mature trees that responsible tree owners have a duty to carry out assessing their health and condition.  Again, in this respect, the URGENT tree work concerns trees that have been found to have levels of decay that makes their retention risky at best.  Many were observed to have large cavities half way up the trunk which can lead to trees failing in high winds – and this is an elevated/windy location.   With such decay present there is little option to reduce the crown.  Reduction to a safe level would ultimately disfigure the trees and place further stresses on their ability to recover and may even lead to their death.

I am satisfied that the findings of the report are fair and as replacement trees of a good size would be required, if the work is allowed, these will mitigate any losses.  Replacement trees can be legally enforced by the department.  Moreover the tree work proposed is needed  to ensure the safety of people/children at the site. 

As requested I attach a copy of the relevant tree preservation order.   I hope this reply helps clarify the authority’s position with this application and I thank you for your interest.

Kind Regards

Margaret Krzemieniewski

Assistant Planner Tree Preservation / Cynllunydd Cynorthwyol Cadwraeth Coed

Regeneration and Planning

Vale of Glamorgan Council / Cyngor Bro Morgannwg

Planning Application Details for : 2016/00773/TPO

Comment on this planning application

Name	Created
Acknowledgements	23/06/2016
Application Form	23/06/2016
Site Plan	23/06/2016
Aerial Site Plan	23/06/2016
Tree Image	23/06/2016
Arboricultural Report	23/06/2016
1, Paget Place, Penarth,CF64 1DP	29/06/2016

The only map from Penarth town council could provide