ePetition details

Protect Trees at Cantel (UK) Ltd. site, Campfield Road, Shoeburyness, Essex SS3 9BX

We the undersigned petition the council to protect over 50 trees which bring significant benefit to the local area by making the provisional Tree Preservation Order (TPO 04/2022) permanent without modification.

Over 50 established trees are at risk of being cut down on the Cantel (UK) Ltd. site, Campfield Road, Shoeburyness, Essex SS3 9BX.

On 20 June 2022 a provisional Tree Preservation Order (TPO 04/2022) was served to protect the future of 8 individual trees and 3 groups of trees on the Cantel (UK) Ltd. site.

This Tree Preservation Order aims to protect 50 established trees including cedars, maples, oaks and sycamores and a notable linear group of approximately 40 acer and hawthorn trees on the raised bund along the northeast boundary of the site fronting Campfield Road.

It is vitally important to protect these trees and our green heritage. According to the Council’s consultation on the 'Local Plan Issues & Options' document undertaken between February and April 2019 the most common comment in the consultation was a wish to see more trees – preserving the trees on the Cantel (UK) Ltd. site will help realise this wish.

We the undersigned petition the council to make this provisional Tree Preservation Order permanent without modification because:

These trees bring significant amenity benefits to the local area and provide a positive contribution to the street scene on Campfield Road and Chapel Road. The trees are presently enjoyed and clearly visible from footpaths and public roads and enhance the views for visitors and residents from within and around the Shoebury Garrison conservation area. Also, the trees enhance this historic environment and provide a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the setting of nearby listed buildings. Notably, the benefits of these trees would also apply to future residents of any proposed development on the site.

The benefits of trees on our physical and mental health are well-documented. Southend-on-Sea City Council's renewed Tree Policy 2020-2030 notes that being in the presence of trees is proven to lower heart rate and blood pressure, reduce stress, boost the immune system and improve overall feelings of wellbeing. The Tree Policy also highlights trees (and landscape) alongside roads such as the acer and hawthorn trees on the raised bund can have a positive effect on driver behaviour and perception as well as provide a psychological cue to drive more slowly, resulting in safer roads.

Additionally, the trees offer food source and shelter for many types of wildlife, including insects, birds and mammals and the destruction of these trees will be catastrophic to the sites wildlife population and habitat.

Trees are classified mature when they start producing flowers or fruits. The trees on the site are well-established and mostly mature, for example, the aforementioned hawthorn trees atop the raised bund produce striking white spring blossom as well as red-orange fruit in autumn-winter.

These mature trees add to Southends overall urban tree canopy cover, which is currently below the minimal threshold (15% for coastal areas) recommended by the Forestry Commission – presently the ward tree canopy cover for Shoeburyness is 12.3%.

Tree canopy cover is the layer of leaves, branches, and tree stems that cover the ground when viewed from above and is important for capturing and storing carbon dioxide as well as other air pollutants and reduces the negative heat island effects in a warming climate.

Additionally, the tree canopy cover helps reduce flooding by directly intercepting rainfall which will either drip from the leaf surface, run down the twigs, branches and trunk and slowly seep into the ground, or simply evaporate from the leaves.

Also underneath the tree canopy roots grow outwards creating minute channels in the soil through which rain water can penetrate more quickly and deeply so that flooding is less likely.

Finally, as well as the benefits and value outlined above the trees are assets worth a substantial amount of money under the Capital Asset Valuation of Amenity Trees (CAVAT), a method which Arboricultural Officers use when monetary values for amenity trees are required. Consequently, making this provisional Tree Preservation Order permanent without modification will save spending considerable public funds if they had to be planted by the Council elsewhere to meet recommended tree canopy cover goals of 15% which Southend-on-Sea City Council aspires to achieve through its Tree Policy 2020-2030.

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References

Forestry Commission – Tree Canopy Cover Leaflet: https://cdn.forestresearch.gov.uk/2022/02/fr_fc_treecanopydata_leaflet.pdf

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council – Tree Canopy Cover Assessment (October 2019): https://democracy.southend.gov.uk/documents/s42593/16%20-%20Appendix%202%20for%20Tree%20Policy.pdf

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council – Tree Policy 2020-2030 (March 2020): https://democracy.southend.gov.uk/documents/s42592/16%20-%20Appendix%201%20for%20Tree%20Policy.pdf

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Started by: Wendy VanderFransen

This ePetition ran from 03/07/2022 to 14/11/2022 and has now finished.

185 people signed this ePetition.

 

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