Campaigners fight to save tree facing axe again

A 120-year-old plane tree in north London, which has been under threat of being felled for the past three years, is once again facing the axe.

Haringey Council says the tree on Oakfield Road, Stroud Green, needs to be removed as it is causing damage to nearby properties. The council has given residents until 17 June to respond to its notice.

Dr Gio Iozzi, who is among those fighting to save it, said: "It feels like the tree is still the fall guy in this situation and it is just morally, ethically, environmentally wrong."

"This healthy tree has been implicated in damage... it has been blamed for all the other factors that contribute to subsidence in houses," she added.

She told BBC London that insurers had recently agreed to finally pay for the work on the two houses affected by subsidence, meaning there was "no need to fell this tree".

Dr Iozzi added: "There is no rationale now for the council to want to fell the tree and yet they're intending to push forwards with felling this tree.

"We feel like this is madness, we need these big canopy trees they are so important for our health, our lungs."

In its consultation, the council said the tree had "contributed to tree root damage to the adjacent properties, pruning was unsuccessful, and movement of the properties has continued".

But environmental campaign group Haringey Tree Protectors told the Local Democracy Reporting Service these claims were unsubstantiated.

It has urged people to send in their views so the council can "understand how the public feel about protecting their mature street trees".

Dr Iozzi said poor foundations, clay soil movement, droughts or floods could also be contributing to issues with the homes' foundations and she believed there was not enough evidence to support the tree's removal.

"Trees should not be felled just in case there is the potential of damage to houses in the future," she said.

"If this logic is followed, all trees in Haringey would need to be felled just in case."

Local resident Andrew Brenner, who lives opposite the tree, told BBC London: "If you take down a tree on the off-chance that it's going to cause a problem in the future, that could lead to every single tree on every tree-lined street in London being taken out.

"I think it's a real risk that we're going to lose lots of trees for no reason except that it's to prevent some future possible problem."

A Haringey Council spokesperson said it was undertaking the latest consultation in view of new statutory requirements that had come into force.

"Our proposal is based on consideration of the evidence submitted on behalf of the owners of the properties," the spokesperson added.

They said the council would consider all feedback before making a final decision.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]