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14
Aug 2020
'Save our trees' plea from Harrogate residents
A group of Harrogate residents have raised concerns after a property developer chopped down five trees in the grounds of St Mary's Church.
One of the residents, Matthew Weller, said he noticed that three trees had been felled last week. A couple of days later he woke to the sound of chainsaws.
It is unclear at this time whether the trees are protected or in a conservation area. The council is investigating.
Mr Weller rushed out of his flat as he watched the fourth tree fall. He asked to see their workman's paperwork but said he was dismissed. The workers chopped down a fifth tree soon after.
He told the Stray Ferret:
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The group has now got 45 members and has called a meeting for residents outside Westcliffe Hall at 4pm this Saturday. The organisers have asked just one person per household to attend.
St Mary's Church on Harlow Terrace dates back to 1916 and is a Grade II* Listed Building. The church has structural problems and is in need of a lot of work.
The Stray Ferret approached Hattersley Property Solutions as well as Shaw and Jagger Architects with a request for comment. Both said they were not responsible for the felling of trees.
A spokesman for Harrogate Borough Council told the Stray Ferret that it is considering placing a Tree Preservation Order on the remaining trees:
Those who deliberately destroy a protected tree face fines up to £20,000 per tree through a magistrates' court.
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