MP: 'City's reputation was trashed by felling'

MP LUKE POLLARD GIVES TENTATIVE WELCOME TO NEW PLANS UNVEILED BY CITY COUNCIL FOR ARMADA WAY

- WILLIAM TELFORD

PLYMOUTH’S Labour MP is pleased a new plan for Armada Way has been revealed and said the decision to chop down 110 trees in March “trashed” the city’s reputation.

Luke Pollard has also criticised what he called a “sham” consultation on the previous scheme, which caused the widespread tree felling.

However, the Sutton and Devonport MP is reserving his judgement on the new proposals, revealed this week by the ruling Labour administration, until he has had an in-depth look. But he said he was delighted to see an increase in the number and size of trees being planted.

Mr Pollard said he was a vocal opponent of the plans to chop down more than 100 trees by the council’s last Tory administration. “I thought it was a bad idea environmentally and would have a severe impact on our city’s reputation,” he said. “The decision to fell these trees in the middle of the night attracted national attention for all the wrong reasons and shamed our city.

“It trashed our reputation and made Plymouth a byword for how not to look after the environment. It was an act of environmental vandalism, pure and simple.”