New rules aim to stop ‘death threats’ and chainsaw stand-offs in Portsmouth over tree felling

At a planning committee meeting this week a new approach to axing trees was taken, by giving residents more warning and information - in a bid to stop extreme behaviour seen in previous years.

Although approval was given to cut down three ageing Lombardy poplars in Southsea, two in Siskin Road and one in Reedling Drive, improved communication between the council and local people was praised.

Councillor Darren Sanders made a deputation at the meeting on behalf of campaign group Keep Milton Green. He said: 'In Portsmouth there has always been a huge amount of anger because of course they want to keep as many trees as possible.

'People are extremely passionate about trees in the city and rightly so because there aren't that many green spaces. But we don't want to go back to where we were before, people have sent in death threats over trees being cut down.

'The only way we can reduce the mistrust is by doing this out in the open.

'These trees are dying and have a significant amount of issues but we have to remember they are trees in a very densely populated area.'

Deputy leader of the council, Cllr Steve Pitt, recalled situations where people had placed themselves in danger to protect trees.

'We've had  a couple of incidents where residents were throwing themselves in the way of dangerous equipment like chainsaws as they felt so strongly about this,' he said.

'We don't want anything like that happening again.'

Head campaigner of Keep Milton Green, Kimberly Barratt, welcomed the news. She said: 'There has been an element of distrust in the past purely because even though notices are put very close to the trees, it's not been made clear to people why the trees are needed to be felled.

'Hopefully now the council will be more open with people across the city, not just in Milton, about tree felling and we welcome this pledge.'

Kimberly said she was 'shocked' by the revelation that death threats had been sent in the past, and added: 'As a group we completely disagree with that behaviour and welcome healthy debate and discussion. It is completely out of order that anyone had been threatened.'

It was decided at the meeting that the felled lombardy poplars would be replaced by trees of a similar size and maturity.

Arboricultural officer at Portsmouth City Council, Andy Knight, explained why the trees were no longer suitable for the area. Speaking to the committee he said: 'Generally these trees live between 50 and 75 years. They're fine planted as wind breaks around parks, which is what this area used to be, but not in residential roads.

'All the pollarding of the trees has caused mini poplars to grow which are breaking through the tarmac.'