RESIDENTS in a York street are unhappy after 60-year-old trees were damaged by contractors.

Tim and Jayne Pugsley, of Manor Lane, said they were shocked to see contractors working on behalf of Barratt Homes and City of York Council, chop down a 30ft-high lime tree last week.

Mr Pugsley said: “The rushed felling of these protected trees was not necessary, these trees are very important to the community, but we were given no notice of the work. Two trees are still under threat and I urge concerned residents to make their views known to local and parish councillors, and to comment on the planning application when it is made.”

Nancy Dale has lived in Manor Lane since 1956 and said the trees were the one constant in an area which had changed over the years, and gave the area a “leafy, country feel”. She said: “I knew it when it was a twig 60 years ago. Local people clubbed together and paid £25 each for a barrister to obtain TPOs for all of the trees on Manor Lane. My husband and I called the nearest tree ‘our tree’, we have loved it for over half a century.”

A spokeswoman for City of York Council said the trees were currently owned by Barratt Homes, but the council “will be adopting the grass verge in which they stand, including the trees themselves, once they are in a safe condition”.

She said: “A health and safety tree survey was carried out recently by a reputable arboriculture consultant, who agreed the tree should be removed as this was ‘condemned’.

“Two more trees are being recommended for removal, also on health and safety grounds, though this is not urgent. Works have been halted and an agent will be putting in a TPO application to remove the two Lime trees. Should removal be permitted, they would be replaced with similar species.”

Paul Newman, managing director of Barratt Homes Yorkshire East, said: “In advance of the lands adoption, the council requested that we provide them with an up to date tree condition survey.

“The survey highlighted a number of health issues with up to three trees which the council have since asked us to remove before they pose any health and safety risk to the public. As a gesture of goodwill, we have agreed to replace the affected trees with similar species. These works need to be completed prior to the council’s adoption of the area.”

Gordon Campbell-Thomas, founder of St Nicholas Fields Nature Reserve, said he was unhappy with the work and urged residents to have their say on the matter at a meeting next month. He said: “In my opinion the work was unnecessary, I agree there might be some light remedial work, for instance removal of the barbed wire cutting into the bark, and maybe some judicious pruning, but I think what was done was definitely over the top.”

A meeting will be held by Rawcliffe Parish Council on July 11 at St Marks Church from 7pm.