Ribbon protest at garden centre tree-felling plan

Ribbons have been tied to two 128-year-old trees in a protest over plans to fell them to create better access for a nearby business.

Cherry Lane Garden Centre has won a planning appeal for consent to build a new delivery entrance at its site on Bawtry Road in Tickhill.

Doncaster Council initially refused the application before that decision was overturned by a government inspector in December.

A petition to save the limes and three other trees has so far gathered more than 600 signatures, but QD Commercial Holdings Group, which owns the garden centre site, said the decision to fell the trees had been taken due to concerns for the safety of staff, customers and local residents.

A statement from the company said: "At the core of this decision is our commitment to prioritising safety for our community, patrons and staff. This is being done at great expense to the business."

The application to build the entrance was originally rejected because Doncaster Council said a delivery yard would affect highway safety, while the loss of the trees would outweigh the public benefits.

However, this was contested by QD Commercial Holdings Group and, after the case went to court, HM Planning Inspectorate backed the applicant.

Simon Bourne, from the Save Tickhill's Trees campaign group, said the ribbon protest had been carried out as its members felt "powerless".

The trees had been "part of the character and appeal of the village for such a long time", he said.

"Decisions about felling our trees are being made by people who may never have even been," he added.

Two of the five trees which developers have been given permission to remove were planted as part of a lime avenue for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

Tickhill resident Sam Foster said it was "ironic" the company owning the garden centre wanted to remove the two limes as well as three oaks.

"With all the programmes to plant more trees into towns and villages, to remove them for something I don't see as a necessity, it doesn't make sense," he said.

"It's leaving a very bitter taste in our mouths, because we're proud of our history here."

Meanwhile, Tickhill Town Council clerk Maxine Gravill said she was concerned about the safety of the planned new entrance to the site as another garden centre was located across the road, with its own access for deliveries.

It would create two junctions opposite each other on a "busy" road and it could lead to more traffic, she said.

In its statement, QD Commercial Holdings said the delivery bay had already been established when it took over the site in 2008.

It had since been taken out of use "due to safety concerns regarding vehicles exiting onto the busy A631 Bawtry Road" and, after that, deliveries had been unloaded in the car park.

"However, as the popularity of the site has grown, this arrangement has increasingly caused our proactive team to consider the potential safety impacts," it said.

"To resolve this issue, we are reactivating the purpose-built delivery yard to create a safer, more efficient solution that protects our visitors and staff."

The firm added: "Safety is at the heart of our operations.

"To ensure the yard operates safely and effectively, two mature lime trees located on either side of the access road must be removed.

"This work will widen the access road entrance, improving visibility and significantly promoting safety along A631 Bawtry Road."

QD Commercial Holdings said it understood residents' concerns over the removal of the mature trees and was "taking every precaution to minimise environmental impact".

"All works will be carried out under the supervision of a qualified arboriculturist to ensure careful management of root systems and soil compaction", it added.

In 2012, Doncaster Council proposed felling the entire avenue of 80 Jubilee limes despite local opposition, because it said they were posing a "danger" due to their age.

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