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Finance chiefs axe green tree scheme

Tom Rowley
27/12/2006

THE lights would go out in Glossop if trees were planted on one stretch of the high street.

Tree lovers were gobsmacked to hear that a proposal to reinstate three trees along High Street West between Arundel Street and Railway Street - which had been removed to make way for the Wren Nest Mill redevelopment - would plunge the town into darkness.

Councillor Chris Webster told the board of regeneration body Glossop Vision: "We all want the trees but do we want Glossop in darkness? A tree root through a cable would affect the whole of Howard Town ward."

Paul Armstrong, High Peak Council economic development manager, said: "The trees would go straight over a gas main, a surface water sewer and an electricity cable. Our survey results show we can work around the gas main and sewer but the electricity cable is the big problem.

"It is not a tiddler, it's one of the three main cables that supply Glossop. Tree roots would go straight down the middle of it. It would cost £300,000 to move the cable and cause diversions along the high street."

He said the cost of insurance to cover the risk of claims from utility companies should a root cause damage is too prohibitive. He added the only way to accommodate the trees would be to create 'build outs' into the road, away from cables, which would mean the loss of a few parking spaces, as that section of the high street has cars parked along it most of the day.

Linda Newman, treasurer of Glossop Environmental Trust, said in public consultations people said they want to see trees along the high street and 'build outs' would be better than not having trees there at all or in planters, which lessen the chances of them surviving.

She said: "Trees do not just make the street scene look pretty - they are important to combat climate change, as they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and improve the quality of life."

Dai Larner, High Peak Council planning director, said the council would look at rerooting the trees elsewhere and further examine the 'build-outs' before the next board meeting in February.