Middlesbrough Council takes down Lidl tree felling petition

Protesters said natural habitats had been lost in the tree felling

An online petition set up against the felling of trees on the site of a proposed supermarket has been deleted.

Middlesbrough councillor Philippa Storey created the petition against Lidl, which wants to build a new store in Linthorpe, on the borough council's website.

It was signed by more than 2,000 people but Middlesbrough Council said it had to be removed due to planning rules.

Lidl said it would consult residents and had planned a "planting scheme".

Ms Storey said she launched the petition because, until a planning application was submitted allowing formal objections to be made, "residents needed a vehicle to express how they feel about the removal of the trees and about a potential supermarket on the site".

On Middlesbrough Council's website it states: "This e-petition was rejected because it relates to the council's planning or licensing functions.

"There are separate statutory processes in place for dealing with these matters."

Linthorpe Labour councillor Philippa Storey said there was a huge strength of feeling against a supermarket on the site

Last week, the supermarket, which bought the site, felled trees at the former Northern School of Art campus where it hopes to build the new store.

Cllr Storey said: "I am incredibly disappointed that the council has chosen to withdraw the petition.

"We know that a planning application will be forthcoming for the site and it is disappointing that the council do not feel that residents' voices can be heard before a planning application is made.

"There is a huge strength of feeling about a supermarket on that site."

Residents said habitats for local finches, robins and blackbirds and other wildlife had been lost.

They said the residential area on the boundary of a conservation zone was not suitable for a supermarket.

The petition had been scheduled to remain on the council's website until 8 February 2022, but was taken down on 18 November, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Lidl said no trees with tree preservation orders had been felled

Lidl said it had not confirmed a date for submitting a planning application but would undertake a thorough consultation with the local community.

A spokesperson said no trees with a preservation order had been felled.