Norman Baker MP Member of Parliament for Lewes constituency
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Contact Norman at:
Norman Baker,
23 East Street,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
Email: info
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MP slams plans for 74 more trees to be removed in Seaford
74 more trees are to be removed from the footways around Seaford by East Sussex County Council, the town’s MP, Norman Baker has learned. In a letter to the MP, the County said that this mass removal was necessary in order for the Council to comply with their provisions for the safety for pedestrians set out in their Highways Maintenance Policy Plan, but the MP has called the plans "highly regrettable and a bureaucratic over reaction".
All the trees have their root systems under the tarmac of the footways which, the County says, now represents a significant risk to public safety. The Council claim removal is a last resort measure and there are other trees planted in similar conditions which will be subject only to minor maintenance in order to make them sufficiently safe.
At present there is no budget for a re-planting scheme but the Transport and Environment Department told Norman they will be submitting a bid to the Finance department for re-planting around 75 semi-mature trees.
Commenting on this Norman said:
"74 trees seems to be a huge number of trees to remove and will change markedly the appearance and feel of the town. The safety of the public is obviously important, but removing so many trees does seem an extreme answer to the problem. I would have thought other alternatives such as erecting fences around the bases of the trees could have been used.
"I am dismayed that the Council could not even confirm a budget for tree re-planting before announcing the scheme. It has long been suggested that trees can play an important role in creating a more congenial atmosphere in towns and I have always thought the trees in Seaford are particularly attractive."