Marlhill Copse: Dozens of trees to be felled in court-battle woodland

Conservationists staged a protest against previous felling plans

A council has approved plans to cut down almost 100 trees in woodland which was the subject of a previous legal battle over felling.

Southampton City Council said the trees at Marlhill Copse were diseased and could pose a risk to the public.

In May 2020, the High Court quashed a decision to destroy three pine trees, although the council subsequently reinstated its approval for the work.

The authority said this time no-one objected to the plans.

Felling work was temporarily halted by a High Court case in May 2020

About 60 individual trees are to be axed along with another 37, which are part of smaller groups.

Councillor Lisa Mitchell, who chaired the Planning and Rights of Way Panel meeting, said: "It is a real shame when we lose trees.

"Although 60 trees seems like a lot, it is a very small proportion of the woodland itself."

Southampton Airport, which owns the copse, said the vast majority of the trees in question were affected by ash dieback disease, which threatens millions of ash trees in the UK.

It told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "The proposed felling is necessary to ensure public safety as the trees run along the A27 and close to properties."

The work is expected to start next month.