Wellingborough Walks campaigners urge residents to tell council to 'save our trees' by commenting on new plans

Stanton Cross Developments (SCD) has made three new applications to North Northants Council (NNC) to discharge four planning conditions relating to Route 2 – the new road from the A45 to the town’s eastern housing estates.

Since February 2023, campaigners have fought hard to save trees from developers’ chainsaws leading to the formation of Wellingborough Walks Action Group (WWAG).

Despite passionate protests including several ‘arrests’, 16 legally protected trees covered by Tree Protection Orders (TPO) were felled from the Walks in London Road, Wellingborough.

Marion Turner-Hawes, chairman of WWAG, said: “It’s really important that people comment on the plans. We need to bury the council (NNC) with objections. The council needs to understand the strength of feeling."

WWAG successfully challenged NNC and SCD in a £70,000 High Court battle that found TPOs on the lime avenue were valid and the 16 trees cut down should not have been felled.

Using public donations, WWAG commissioned an alternative plan for a road design that would retain as many trees as possible in London Road.

New plans submitted to NNC by SCD would see the destruction of 13 of the 21 trees between the River Nene and the Embankment roundabout, as well as the complete clearance of trees on the other arm of the proposed roundabout – land next to London Road and Turnells Mill Lane.

Ms Turner-Hawes said: “We won in the High Court – we won that battle – but we haven’t won the war. With a few minor changes, only about two to three trees would need to go.

"There are alternatives. Remember the judge said where there are ‘reasonable alternatives’ they should use. With a few minor changes they could be saved.

“They have to prove each protected tree is necessary to be felled. If those plans go through, after they have taken out the TPO trees, all the trees on the other side will be taken out – hundreds, some small some bigger – and they are going to replace them with nine trees and a few bulbs.”

Ms Turner-Hawes added: “This is the first chance residents have had to comment on Stanton Cross’ plans for the protected trees on The Walks, and could be the last, so please do take the opportunity to tell NNC what you think about these plans and what The Walks mean to you.

"We are not saying that the road can’t happen, but we can have the road and keep as much biodiversity as possible. There are alternatives.”

To comment on the plans go to the NNC Planning portal, by email [email protected] or via letter to Development Management, North Northamptonshire Council, Wellingborough Office, Swanspool House, Doddington Road, Wellingborough, NN8 1BP.

The deadline for comments and objections is Tuesday, June 11.

The Planning Application references are:

NW/24/00231/CND - relates to the developers' tree retention/removal plans – Condition 34

NW/24/00229/CND - is about the protection of bats along Route 2 including The Walks – Condition 32

NW/24/00230/CND - is about replacement planting and maintenance along Route 2 going forward – what will replace felled trees and how they will be maintained – Conditions 23 and 36.