Council bosses accused in trees row

6:37pm Thursday 10th January 2008

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A high-level committee is set to quiz city council bosses over the felling of trees at the Westgate, Oxford, as one of the remaining protesters called off his action.

This afternoon, Bruce Hegarty, who had dodged a police cordon and shinned up a tree at the Greyfriars Street end of the Westgate car park, called off his sit-in.

As he had acted voluntarily, Mr Hegarty - who has previously campaigned against the closure of the Jericho Boatyard - was not arrested. Meanwhile a protester named Gabriel remained encamped in a tree at Bonn Square.

Although work has been suspended, the felling of the London Plane trees - by city council parks staff on the orders of the Westgate Partnership - has angered several city councillors.

Oxfordshire county councillor and mother-of-two Deborah Glass Woodin was arrested as tempers flared over a decision to cut down 100-year-old trees lining the Westgate car park yesterday.

The car park is to be razed as part of a £330m renovation of the crumbling Westgate Centre, which has full planning permission. Approval for preparatory work, including the removal of several trees, was agreed on Monday by councillors, but protesters complained they were kept in the dark.

City councillor Sid Phelps, chairman of the environment scrutiny committee, said: "To say this is sensitive is an understatement - it's a PR nightmare. They (the city council) have shot themselves in both feet. People in Oxford love trees.

"Did they think they could do this and no one would notice? We will be demanding answers."

Protesters also argued no work should be started at Westgate until the result of a public inquiry into the compulsory purchase of sheltered housing in neighbouring Abbey Place is known - because that potentially forms part of the development.

A Government planning inspector will decide the issue next month. If he rules against the Westgate Partnership, it is possible - but unlikely - the scheme could be halted. City council chief executive Peter Sloman said: "The Westgate development has received full planning permission, therefore there is no planning basis to resist the felling.

"None of these trees are subject to a preservation order. As part of the Westgate development a considerable number of mature trees are to be felled.

"The city has to develop if our retail and city centre economy is to be viable."

The timing is ironic given Monday's environment scrutiny committee is set to see a draft tree protocol, drawn up in light of the Osney Island trees saga of 2006. City council workmen caused a furore when they felled 11 willows in East Street.