BACKLASH: Here's what York people say about plans to fell 103 trees at Clifton Moor

The owners of the retail park want to chop down the trees, claiming that they hide the shops from passing motorists, hindering sales.

The plans were revealed by The Press last week, since when more than 65 people have lodged formal objections with City of York Council.

Cllr Andy D'Agorne, leader of York Green party, last week called the plans "incredible", and Philip Crowe, the leader of York's Treemendous planting initiative also hit out in a letter to The Press.

The trees earmarked for removal include 16 poplars, 11 alders, seven oaks, 25 ash, 11 birch, one sycamore, three Lombardy poplars and 17 of unspecified species. A further 12 trees, including four birches, would be removed and replaced.

Many local residents have also now written to the council opposing the proposals.

>>> All documents relating to the planning application can be viewed here, on the council website.

People have until June 22 to have their say on the plans and the application will then be decided by council officers in a private meeting, the date for which has yet to be set. 

Although many planning applications are heard in public by a planning committee, a council spokeswoman said orders relating to tree preservation orders were decided by officers in private.

Here is a selection of the comments so far from people who have objected on the council website: 

Hannah Bridgeman: "Blaming low footfall on trees is outrageous. Clifton Moor is a shopping/industrial estate, if people are out there it is fairly obvious they know where they want to go already. "Rather blame the rise of the internet, or the credit crunch. At a time when we have an initiative to plant more trees, should we really be chopping down established ones?"

Kay Davies: "The felling of 103 trees with Tree Preservation Orders is beyond ridiculous. The area is under threat of becoming concrete city. The drive into Clifton Moor is unique in that the current landscaping softens the visual impact the retail units have on the area. There is ample signage on the approach to Clifton Moor which is perfectly adequate and visible so shoppers know what retailers are there. Felling trees is NOT going to bring more shoppers to a retail park. The felling of these trees with TPO's will also surely set a precedent."

Frank Coldwell: "For the retail park management to blame the trees for poor performance is ridiculous. The blame lies firmly with them and the quality of retail outlets they let to. Removing the trees would also provide a distraction to motorists driving past on the outer ring road. In this day and age of global deforestation cutting these down to appease to unit owners would be a crime."

Jessica Gudgeon: "How ridiculous. This will affect the wildlife and ecology in the vicinity. All for one reason: to let customers have a better view. I've been shopping there for years and I enjoy the trees as a part of the park."

John Cossham listed a wide range of benefits of trees, and said: "Cutting down these trees would be a travesty. It would be immoral and wrong. I'm not a fan of out-of-town shopping centres but the presence of trees means that on the few occasions I've had to cycle to or through them, the experience is less horrible. Please reject this application and send the applicant on a training course on how trees benefit us in so many ways as a punishment for having such a silly thought that removing them would make Clifton Moor a better place."

Charlotte Hamlyn: "As a car driver for both pleasure and work I drive extensively round York and the wider local area. The signage for Clifton Moore is effective and highly visible. It is absolutely adequate to direct new and existing visitors to the area to the shopping site. Trees are essential to our local landscape for health, aesthetic and ecological reasons and there is absolutely no justification for this request to fell trees."

Granville Heptonstall: "Felling these trees on the spurious grounds that they deter shoppers is risible. If footfall is poor then this has more to do with the shops than their visibility. The signage for Clifton Moor is clear and there is adequate visibility from the approaches to the site. If one were to wait until one had seen a particular shop then it would be too late. Should drivers not be concentrating on the road rather than being distracted?"

Sarah Dixon: "The benefits of greenery in our landscape are proven, these trees provide much needed 'breathing space' both literally and figuratively for the people of York. As a regular traveller along this road, and shopper at Clifton Moor, I want the trees to remain where they are."

Michelle Wyatt: "I do not believe the poor performance of retail outlets is due to trees. I disagree with destroying what little is left of habitats for animals and wildlife to 'improve views'. I can tell you why I dont shop at Clifton Moor. Its because its hard to get to if you dont have a car & because internet shopping is now my main way to shop. You can chop down as many trees as you like. Everyone will still shop with Amazon. You will simply attract dislike and become unpopular. Please keep the trees. Thank you"

Paul Bamber: "Ridiculous. Tragic scapegoat stuff. Don't see how making it a less beautiful and pleasant place to be will help. It's clear what shops are there. This would be dissappointing and I'd be less likely to visit."

Dave Chamberlin-Kidd: "I object to this application as improving footfall to the retail unit is not a good enough reason to fell over 100 trees. The request will detract from the surroundings of the retail park, air quality, wild life and the general environment and should be rejected. If the claim is that people don't know the retail units are there because they can't see them, then (apart from that being obvious nonsense), improved signage or other methods should be used. If and when clear evidence is produced to show that individual trees cause particular issues then applications to remove them should be addressed on a tree by tree basis.

Dr Mary Garrison: "This is a TERRIBLE idea and it is being suggested for a stupid reason. York needs trees. We have recently seen national news coverage of the list of 40 cities with the worst air pollution in the UK, with toxin levels that the WHO warns are unacceptable. And we face global warming. We need trees, locally, and as a species.

"If the retailers are too stupid to run their businesses in a way that makes them profitable, they should not be allowed to make destructive changes to the environment in order to chase profits. The very suggestion that shops are failing because of trees is ludicrous. The council should put air quality, quality of life, and environmental quality first."

Tracey Mulryne: "The issue is not the greenery surrounding the shops but the quality of shops themselves. If you are going to compete with Monks Cross, you need to look at what they are doing right and that is attracting quality or popular outlets. You need to raise the image of Clifton Moor not just throw up more food outlets! By cutting down those trees you will further damage any image that you had."

Mike Hopkins, director of Jones Lang LaSalle Ltd, which represents the retail park's owners, had said in the company's application: "It is important that visibility of the retail park is maximised in order to maintain customer visits and maximise viability.

"The trees within the landscape buffer have been identified as a reason for the Retail Park’s poor performance; the proposed works will improve visibility into the site and improve the site’s footfall."