Sheffield tree-felling opponents vow to fight on after court setback
Campaigners trying to halt a “politically controversial” tree-felling programme in Sheffield have vowed to continue their fight despite losing a high court battle with council bosses. A judge on Tuesday made orders barring residents from taking “unlawful direct action” to prevent the lawful felling of roadside trees. It is the latest development in a long-running row that last week prompted an intervention by the environment secretary, Michael Gove. A number of Sheffield residents have been arrested trying to protect some of the 6,000 trees that are to be felled as part of a 25-year, £2bn highway maintenance scheme. Council bosses say the programme is essential if the city’s 36,000 street trees are to be managed for future generations. It insists the trees earmarked for felling are dying, diseased or dangerous – a claim disputed by residents and campaigners. In its high court claim, the council asked for orders barring three people – including one of its own Green party councillors – and “persons unknown” from “continuing to take unlawful direct action” or from encouraging others to take direct action. The three named by council lawyers were Alison Teal, a councillor, and Calvin Payne, both of whom have previously been arrested and released without charge for standing in the way of council contractors as they prepared to fell trees; and David Dillner, a retired actor and founder of the Sheffield Tree Action Groups. Mr Justice Males said the council was entitled to the injunctions sought. The judge said the tree felling was highly controversial and emphasised that his ruling dealt solely with the legal question of whether the council was entitled to injunctions. He added: “I express no view, one way or the other, as to the merits of the council’s tree-felling programme or the objectors’ campaign. Those are social and environmental questions which are politically controversial and can only be resolved in a political forum. They are not a matter for this court.” Teal said she was devastated by the ruling and would consider an appeal. “It’s deeply worrying and quite extraordinary,” she told the Guardian. “I’m still processing it in terms of what it means for democracy: people who haven’t been involved in the campaign are going to be prevented from doing so. What does that tell people? That they’ve got no right to protest about it in future?” She added: “This has potential to be going on for another 20 years – it’s a 25-year contract – and the council has permission to fell 50% of the roadside trees, so 18,000 trees, according to the contract.
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on Aug 16 2017. Filed under News at Now.
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