Village oak is saved and councillors are praised for their 'bravery' in defying officers
CAMPAIGNERS battling to save an ancient oak tree are celebrating after "brave" Thurrock councillors refused a bid to lift its legal protection.
Thurrock's planning committee voted against lifting a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) on a 100-year-old Holm Oak in the grounds of Grices, a listed building in Saffron Gardens, Horndon on the Hill.
The 60ft high tree has not affected Grices, but it was alleged to have damaged the foundations of nearby 7 Saffron Close 20 metres away and the application was recommended for approval.
Planning officers said the council could be liable for £45,000 in underpinning costs while a structural engineer's report warned it could be up to £180,000. The five-year-old report said the building was severely damaged and in danger of "imminent collapse". They recommended its felling.
However, to much applause from the public gallery, councillors refused to lift the TPO saying its value to residents outweighed the risk of future financial cost to the council.
Following the planning meeting on Tuesday (10 June), resident Julian Vereker praised councillors, saying: "There are so many delighted local people. This is a victory for what is right!
"And we all want to recognise our local councillors for being brave and doing the right thing in the face of nasty intimidation."
During the debate, resident Peter Woodard, said: "Taking account of the great distance of the tree from the building, failure to find live roots, inadequate foundations, the extent of the damage, I suggest the chance of a successful outcome by felling the tree is vanishingly small and it's almost certain that underpinning will be needed anyway.
"This tree has been iconic to Horndon for well over a hundred years. Do not be like the despised vandals who cut down the tree from the Sycamore Gap."
Cllr Barry Johnson, who is the ward councillor for Horndon, said: "There's a strong feeling around this tree being an integral part of the village that should really not be underestimated."
Jacqui Maney, Conservative councillor for Aveley and Uplands, said the issue was a "moral and ethical " one. She said: "Can anybody in this room say if this tree was voted to come down they would sit at the foot of it and say that was a good day for public service because morally and ethically it is appalling."
Cathy Sisterson, Labour councillor for Aveley and Uplands, added: "Any sensible person would regard the amenity value of that tree as greater than the cost of the underpinning and if it was my tree in my garden I would pay the £45,000 to underpin the house rather than cut the tree."
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