COUNTY chiefs are set to replace Pershore’s Broad Street’s London Plane trees with an alternative species.
The controversial decision has been made following a four week public consultation as Worcestershire County Council said there was no ‘viable alternative’ but to remove the iconic trees and replace them with a more suitable species.
The roots of the trees have been causing damage to some of the footpaths resulting in a number of injuries to pedestrians. Following a review, council chiefs believe the roots will cause further damage and potentially pose a threat to nearby private properties.
237 residents responded to the consultation in November, with 50 per cent opting for the species, Malus Trilobata, which has small green leaves which turn to orange in the Autumn, set to take the place of the London Plane trees.
A County Council spokesperson, said: “This decision has not been taken lightly, and we undertook our consultation exercise as we recognised it is a very important issue for local people.
“We are pleased that the public consultation showed 83 per cent of Pershore locals understand the rationale behind the proposals.
“Although it is essential maintenance work to ensure the safety of pedestrians, every effort has been made to select an appropriate replacement tree based on suggestions from the public.
“We are still liaising with Wychavon District Council, but this decision is a step towards both improving public safety and minimising disruption to highways infrastructure, while retaining the iconic beauty of the historic town of Pershore,” he added.
