Seven Dials ElmThursday, March 7. 2013
 Thursday 7th March, rain earlier, clearing skies at the moment. A local scandal prompts this unscheduled post, from (sadly) someone who may soon be an ex-Brighton&Hove Green supporter... Read about it here: http://notesbrokensociety.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/one-elm-tree-and-a-big-green-dilemma/#comments http://blog.scrapperduncan.com/2013/03/06/plan-to-kill-the-oldest-resident-in-green-council-leaders-ward/ And sign the petition, here, please: http://www.change.org/petitions/brighton-hove-city-council-save-the-7-dials-elm-tree There's a multiple-entry junction on a hilltop in Brighton, known as Seven Dials. Planned improvements now turn out to include felling a 100 year old healthy elm tree: and not only 100 years old and healthy, which makes it a national treasure to start with (Brighton & Hove is the last stronghold of the English Elm in the world), but even a Wheatley elm, which is even more significant. Why does the tree have to be felled? There are fears, apparently that it might reduce visibility at a pedestrian crossing. Good grief, Green Councillors. What kind of an excuse is that? Why don't you just come out and say "We like cutting trees down! We're doing it for fun!" Why did nobody protest until the tree fellers actually arrived on Monday? Well, the main problem was, according to reliable witnesses, that our Green Council put forward their plans, in all the public consultations, without mentioning the trivial matter of cutting down this tree. So the protest was too little, too late... So now, it's crunch time. Greens, you are in trouble. Have some sense! If you really, genuinely do not give a damn about the tree, and all that felling it implies, think about the cost to yourselves. This is an insane thing to do, under that "GREEN" banner. You cannot afford to play the fool with your support in this city, or nationally. Think again! Ignore the fact that the people who have climbed the tree to protect it look untidy, and that you don't want to encourage that kind of activism. Don't fell the tree. If there really is a problem, then redesign your crossing. Please. keynote picture courtesy of the Brighton Argus. Trackbacks
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Unbelievable! I remember that elm from when I lived in Brighton, I can't believe they would be so utterly stupid.
Nor me, but the tree's fate is still uncertain and the bbc news item seems to show B&H "Green" Council recalcitrant. Bizarre and very sad.
Hi... It's not the case that the council never mentioned their plans for the tree. I'm a local resident, I was at the final presentation of council plans at the public meeting last December, and I was aware from this meeting that the tree was scheduled to be cut down.
So if the eco-warriors didn't know, it only means one thing - that they weren't really on the case. Is it easier to go for a photo-opportunity up a tree than attend a meeting on a cold December night? I must admit I'm angry that those who want to save the tree haven't been busy organising for the past three months, rather than holding up the scheme which will make Seven Dials a much better place to use.
Hi Mike,
A valid point, and I had a feeling someone was going to say just that! The trouble with voting-in a "Green" Council, is, I suppose, that the Green vote tends to think the job is done, and those guiding the city's governance can be trusted just to get on with being Green about it. & The lesson is an old one: the price of liberty, annoying though this may be, is constant vigilance. Thanks for your comment. |
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