'Beautiful' mature trees are to be felled

COUNCIL AGREE TO CULLING Al CITY MILITARY BASE

- WILLIAM TELFORD

SEVEN "beautiful" mature trees are set to be chopped down at a military base in the centre of Plymouth.

Planners said the loss of the trees was "regrettable" but nevertheless have given approval for them to be felled at the Regimental Training Wing building opposite the Royal Citadel.

Vivo, a company which manages assets for the Ministry of Defence, said it needs to cut down the huge lime trees in order for it to install a new security fence around the site at Hoe Road and Lambhay Hill. Council officers approved the move under delegated powers even though the scheme received 12 letters of objection from members of the public and the council's own natural infrastructure team raised concerns about the tree felling.

The council said the interests of national security outweigh the environmental concerns and stressed that seven new trees would be planted at the site, and 29 would be planted on council ground nearby.

But the new trees would be smaller and pointed and not have the huge canopy cover provided by the doomed limes.