TOWN councillors voted against the felling of Cypress trees, along with mixed species and shrubs at the rear of the former bank on Westbury high street, at a recent meeting.
Chair of the town council’s highways, planning & development committee, cllr Ian Cunningham explained that the applicant is turning the bank into flats and wanted to fell the trees to create more outside amenity space for its residents. He said that the former bank is within a conservation area and he was concerned that wanting to fell the trees was not for a particularly strong reason.
Councillor Mike Sutton said, “I feel we are too cavalier about cutting down trees. Wiltshire Council will overrule it, but we should make a point.”
Councillor Gordon King said he agreed. “Did the bank ever raise this problem with trees? It will be my preference to object to the cutting down of these trees – they serve a great service to the landscape, visual impact of the area and biodiversity of the site which should not be lost forever.”
Councillor Brenda Pyne said that she took a walk to look at the area from Oxford Mews and a resident offered her the opportunity to look at the site from their garden. “I cannot see how the trees would damage the bank,” she said. “The trees are very large and the area is overgrown. It is a bit of a mess, but this is a conservation area.”
Councillor Ward Jones suggested that the garden be professionally tended.
Councillor Nick Pyne said that he had just googled Cypress trees which said that the roots are too small and too thin. “They would have no effect on nearby buildings,” he said. He said the trees were aesthetically pleasing and councillors should ask Wiltshire Council for a tree preservation order.
Councillor Russ said she agreed saying, “They are flying a kite on this one, in the hope that they can take the trees out.”
Councillor Brenda Pyne said that if the trees are cut down, could they ask that trees of similar species be planted, but cllr Kettlety said he objected, and felt the trees did not need to be removed.
Councillors wanted an addendum saying that if there is a strong reason for the trees to be removed, then they ask that the trees be replaced. Councillors then voted unanimously to object to the felling of the trees.
