Unhappy Halifax residents call for Calderdale Council not to cut down trees in their part of the town

Joanne Mitchell, of Ovenden and Illingworth Residents Association, feels “lip service” only has been given to views residents expressed in a consultation about the felling of trees along Cousin Lane in North Halifax.

But a senior councillor says public comments are considered as part of the planning process and Calderdale Council requested the scheme be amended to increase trees which would need to be newly-planted on the site.

Coun Scott Patient (Lab, Luddneden Foot), cabinet member for Climate Action, Active Travel and Housing, said the Connect Housing project was set to set to create 14 high-quality, affordable and environmentally-friendly two and three bed properties in Ovenden.

However, Ms Mitchell said: “Residents are unhappy – and this is putting it mildly – with felling of 30 trees as part of a new housing development on Cousin Lane.

“Everyone understands that there may be the need to remove trees in order to make way for property development.

“However the trees that were felled were lining three sides to the perimeter of the development, but trees remain, I can only assume for aesthetic purposes, to the entrance of the development.

“Did they need to remove so many trees?

“Residents who live opposite the site feel that they were not properly consulted about the development and feel this is the attitude of the local council to just give lip service to the term ‘consultation’.”

Coun Patient said, as part of the planning process, impact on nearby homes was always taken into account and public comments considered.

In order to accommodate any development on the site, it has not been feasible to retain all the trees within it.

“During the application process, the council requested amendments to the scheme to increase the provision of tree planting within the site,” he said.

“The revised and approved site plan includes the provision of new tree planting within front gardens and around the edges of the site to compensate for the loss of trees.

“When considering the planning application, it was deemed that the development would provide much-needed local housing and the landscape scheme would introduce more diverse planting than currently exists.”