Independent review into Plymouth tree felling

The controversial scheme saw more than 100 trees chopped down in Plymouth city centre

An independent review into the felling of more than 100 trees in Plymouth city centre has been announced.

In March, Plymouth City Council members agreed to ask the cabinet to set up a review into the events leading up to the decision to fell 110 trees.

A High Court injunction halted the work on the £12.7m Armada Way project in the early hours of 15 March, leaving just 16 trees standing.

The city council said "a truly independent" review would take place.

Nesting birds

A High Court judge in London put a court order in place to halt the work in March amid calls for an independent inquiry into the incident.

Efforts to remove the felled trees from Armada Way were put on hold in April because of concerns about nesting birds.

How Armada Way looked after the tree felling

The council said the review would have an independent and senior chair and would look in detail at the decision-making process, both in terms of legality and good governance, and examine how well the council engaged with stakeholders throughout the process.

It said the review would also examine the extent to which feedback was incorporated into the plans, examine the impact of the project on the local environment and set out the financial implications of what had happened, including the costs directly to the council.

'Take responsibility'

Council leader Tudor Evans said: "Whilst it was not my administration that was responsible for taking the decision to fell the trees on Armada Way, it has been my number one priority since taking control of the council to overturn the March decision, clean-up the mess, rebuild our reputation and move forward with a positive plan that will bring life back into the city centre.

"Our new corporate plan sets out our ambition to take responsibility for our decisions and the impact of our actions.

"Therefore, we need to understand what happened and learn from any lessons."

Council staff are currently working on terms of reference for the review, which it said would take place before the end of the year.

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