By Danny Gutmann
Salford Council has defended their decision to cut down trees along the Quays.
Frustration is rife on social media as residents made their feelings clear regarding plans for several trees to be cut down.
But Quays Labour councillor Phil Tresadern sought to reassure residents that cutting down the trees are within the interests of residents.
He said: “As a councillor for the Quays, however, I consider it my duty to do what is best for the whole ward using my judgement formed from the information I have at hand, even if at times that puts me at odds with some members of the local community.”
The plan in place concerns trees spanning from Huron Basin to the Watersports Centre with different plans for each location.
Just next to the Quayside mall, Huron Basin is set to have 35 trees removed with their pits being upgraded. They will instead be replaced by 24 new trees of more ‘appropriate species’.
Meanwhile, 23 trees that run alongside the Watersports Centre will also be chopped down under the current plans, making space for a new community garden.
Mr Tresadern said that the removal of these trees will allow for “existing trees to thrive, to allow more light into the garden, and to open up the space for community activity”.
But with anger growing amongst residents, a petition was launched yesterday by Salford Liberal Democrats calling for the council to “replace every felled tree in Salford Quays like for like with a new sapling and an increase in green spaces for our city community, not less.”
While the Lib Dems created a petition others took to Twitter to air their frustration.
A spokesperson from Peel L&P also issued a response to the plans saying: “Works to remove a number of trees from Quayside’s Southern Waterside Walkway were approved by Salford City Council in June 2019. Whilst we understand how upsetting it may be to see trees felled, in their current position, the trees are too close together to thrive and remain healthy and a number of these trees are already diseased. In response to this, Salford Council will be planting new trees in an alternative and suitable location.”
Full details on the plans can be found here.