Peterborough: 600-year-old oak to be felled after homes damage

An oak tree believed to be 600 years old is to be felled for safety reasons, an authority has confirmed.

Two homes in Ringwood, Bretton, have already been damaged by the ancient tree's roots, Peterborough City Council said.

The decision was made after a final independent assessment on the mature oak was published.

The council, which owns the tree, said it will plant 100 more oaks in a bid to "mitigate" the environmental impact.

Councillor Nigel Simons, city council cabinet member for the environment, said: "This was a very difficult decision.

"What was certain to us was that if we didn't act quickly and swiftly, the council would be liable for the damage to one home - an underpinning bill of around £150,000.

"This would mean we wouldn't have any money to look after thousands of other trees in the city, or continue with our tree planting schedule, which has seen [more than] 3,300 new trees planted in Peterborough over the last planting season."

Campaigners say the tree - which appears on the Woodland Trust Ancient Tree Register - is one of the last standing oaks from the original Grimeshaw Woods and dates from the 14th Century.

More than 2,500 people have signed an online petition calling for it to be saved.

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