.jpg)
There is no denying that a great looking tree can brighten people’s moods and help people to feel cheerier about life. We can become used to certain things around our home and when these are removed, it can feel like a loss. This is the case for one woman in South Harrow who has been complaining about the removal of a tree from outside her home.
The local council, Harrow Council, has said that they acted in good faith. The council states that the tree was in danger of collapse and that it was infested with fungus. If this is the case, you can see why the council would want to carry out emergency work on the tree. The woman stated that there was nothing wrong with the tree, claiming that her son works as a tree surgeon and he was unaware of any issues with the tree.
The woman believes the council were wrong to act
Ms Savill, who said that she was “angry and upset” over the removal of the tree, spoke to local press in greater detail about the removal of a cherry tree from outside of her home. She said; “In my opinion they’ve cut the tree down because they needed to carry out work on the road and they thought it would be in the way. It was healthy and had only recently been in glorious bloom. That tree had been there for at least 60 years but, once it’s gone, it’s gone. It’s a horrible feeling.”
The woman also criticised the council for working very fast, claiming that she had no real time to make a complaint or halt the process. It is not often you will hear a complaint about councils working too quickly, the opposite is usually the case. Ms Savill was quoted as saying; “There was nothing saying that work was going to be carried out, and certainly no consultation. Before anyone could say anything, they’d cut it down.”
Harrow Council released a statement regarding the tree, saying; “While our contractor would normally put a notice up before removing a tree, this one needed to come down right away.” The council also stated that workmen who removed the tree spoke to Ms Savill prior to the felling. The council has stated that the process was explained and that the reasons for the felling had been fully explained.
It may be that Ms Savill didn’t understand the reasons or that the workers didn’t explain the process as best as they could have but it does seem as though there was a cross-communication at some point. There is no denying that people develop attachment to tress and losing these aspects from their home or local area can be quite distressing.
There are two very different and distinct sides to this story and it is difficult to say for certain who is right or wrong. However, this story shows the extent of emotions people have for trees around their home.