I AM heartened to read how much the President of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution (RMBI) John Moore loves trees (Letters, November 22).

Given this, it is puzzling why the RMBI, when in possession of an arboricultural report from December 2003 stating that the trees were in a "sound and healthy condition", felt it necessary in April 2004 to seek a more authoritative report and further tests through their planning consultants (who were by then working on the plans for the future development).

Mr Caruthers, who until recently ran the development control section of City of York Council and now works for the RMBI's planning consultants, was apparently able to "help out" with an authoritative expert who could trump the council's consultant.

It is also puzzling why the RMBI rebuffed all efforts by John Grogan MP, Fulford parish councillors and City of York Council officers to suggest lesser works that might have saved the trees while ensuring public safety. Unless, of course, the planned development application submitted hard on the heels of the felling approval was the prime consideration.

Now that the trees have been felled, I trust we will shortly see Mr Moore fulfilling the condition of the felling approval by planting two replacement trees in a similar position, either oak, hornbeam or sweet chestnut, before the end of March 2005.

These will automatically be protected by the original tree preservation orders and any planned development will need to respect their eventual mature spread.

Andy D'Agorne,

Green Party councillor,

Fishergate ward,

Broadway West, York.

Updated: 09:19 Tuesday, November 30, 2004