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by admin on 14 May, 2012
Essential health and safety tree pruning and tree removal works within The Wood, Oakhill Grove, Surbiton will be taking place from 11th June 2012 for 5 days.
Kingston’s green spaces have recently undertaken a health and safety tree survey by Kingston Council. During the survey a number of trees were found to be dead, dying and diseased. The trees need to be removed for health and safety reasons, whilst other trees in The Wood will be pruned.
The Wood will be closed to the public between 0800hrs – 1500hrs during the planned works.
Kingston Council’s Tree Strategy can be viewed on the council’s website – www.kingston.gov.uk. If you have any enquiries about these works or any other issue you can contact the council by telephoning our Customer Contact Centre on 020 8547 5002.
4 Comments
Mary, Liz, Yogan,
The timing of the planned tree works at Oak Hill in Surbiton seems particularly bad. Five days of tree chopping, pruning and removal during June – right in the middle of the bird nesting season.
I can maybe understand if there are a few branches which need urgent removal, but surely anything else can wait until after that season (say, September, to be sure).
If I’m not mistaken it is actually against the law to damage bird nests. Given the amount of bird life in the wood, I can’t see how five days worth of works can avoid such damage. Even if it doesn’t, it will surely scare off anything that is nesting there.
Please can the Council be reasonable and postpone this work.
Brian, we’ll find out and get back you.
Thanks for the swift response. I know the Surbiton Bird Watching Soc is worried about this. Several people have been in touch with us and we would like to see the Tree Condition Surveys. Also, has a Bat Survey (as this is an ideal habitat for the latter). It really is worrying that such extensive work is proposed; surely a conservative and cyclical approach should be taken with a nature reserve? And why is pruning planned on top of the other tree work? And to cap it all, why during the nesting season? I do hope the council can re-think the approach to the management of this small piece of woodland. Sue
Our tree officer has informed us that the works are needed urgent as several of the trees are in critical condition and they present ‘very real threat to the public’ with the remainder ‘considered serious enough to fell as soon as possible’. The works have not been scheduled to take place within the Bird Sanctuary/Nature Reserve area. Officers have confirmed that ‘any approval given by the Council for tree works does not give an exemption from the requirements to comply with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as substituted by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000), or any Acts offering protection to wildlife. Of particular note is the protection offered to bats, birds and their nests. Officers have instructed all work men attending the site to observe the relative acts and guidance when undertaking all operations in the area.’
As Councillors, we must trust our officers to have taken a appropriate response to a potential problem for public safety. Officers have confirmed that the works remain due to start on 11th June.
However, I think your additional comments have helped ensure that our contractors take that extra care to protect nesting birds and other wildlife. I’ve sent the full response from officers to the email addresses directly and if any other resident would like this please do just let us know. Liz