Campaigners bid to pause Wellingborough tree felling as developer urged to make relevant documents public

Campaigners working to stop the felling of an historic avenue of Wellingborough trees have met with the leader of the council responsible for overseeing planning.

Marion Turner-Hawes, who has spear-headed the legal challenges to the felling of the lime trees granted a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) in 2016 had sought the meeting with Cllr Jason Smither, leader of North Northants Council (NNC).

Accompanied by barrister Paul Powlesland, a delegation of tree campaigners met face-to-face at NNC’s Swanspool offices to discuss each side’s position and to find a way forward.

As the two sides met, felling work was nominally paused – a protester who had climbed a tree had already stopped work.

After the meeting, Cllr Smithers said: “I again urge Bovis Homes and Vistry to temporarily pause the felling of any more trees on the Wellingborough Walks.

“As an authority we are still content that Vistry have the authority to do the work, however, we are going to be asking Vistry to provide further documentation for members of the public to scrutinise – we will be asking for that today.”

Marion Turner-Hawes said: “We had a chance to listen to each other and understand the challenges on all sides.

“Personally I was able to remind the council of the TPO process and regardless of what any person or body feels about it, NNC has the responsibility and powers to run the TPO process, to administer it appropriately and to ensure it is administered in an even-handed way and be transparent.”Paul Powlesland said: “While it is good that the council have clarified their position it is disappointing that it takes a barrister to climb a tree for local people to receive the clarification they have been asking for for weeks.”

Cllr Smithers added: “We hope that once the relevant paperwork is in the public area, that should satisfy the community that due process has been followed.”

A meeting is due to be held on Friday (March 3) with Cllr Smithers, Peter Bone MP for Wellingborough, and the chief executives of Vistry and NNC.