Uddingston tree-felling was hasty

Apr 24 2008

Re the decision to remove the poplars at Uddingston Cross, we have spoken to the council’s arborist who carried out a visual inspection only.

The decision to remove the trees appears to have been carried out in haste, and without any consultation with suitably qualified landscape architects.

These mature and stately trees formed an iconic group and were a redeeming and distinctive landscape feature within the central core of the village.

As landscape architects we frequently advise on landscape and visual issues for major projects. In our opinion the value of these trees to the local streetscape was inestimable.

A survey indicated that they were reaching maturity, however the trees appeared in very good health and crown thinning by competent arboriculturalists could have been carried out that would have extended the life of the group.

If felling of so many trees was necessary, which we believe to be highly unlikely, they should have been removed on a staged basis, say one a year with a replacement being carried out yearly.

This would have helped to mitigate the disastrous loss of landscape setting.

We have been advised that no landscape proposals were in place for this area other than five trees being imported from Italy. We also have to ask what’s wrong with Scottish trees?

These trees will be smaller than those planted at Uddingston Gateway, and are slow-growing.

It will be many years before they will have any impact on the local setting.

We do not understand how the council could embark on such a major step without having given thought to the landscape setting and future use of the open space.

Landscape proposals should have been prepared and some objective and qualified thought given to the placing of the trees on arrival from Italy.

A full landscape scheme should have been prepared for this open space.

The council’s landscape architect, or a firm of landscape consultants, should have been appointed to prepare a landscape scheme for the area.

The central location of the open space at the Cross would allow this area to be developed as a meeting place where groups of children and adults could gather for recreation.

Hard surfacing, paving and seating could be introduced to replace the rather down-at-heel bedding areas, path and grass areas.

The use of fast-growing forest scale tree species such as populus trichocarpa (black cottonwood), populus nigra (black poplar) or populus trichocarpa (grey poplar) as a central feature with a fringe of the liquidamba for autumn colour, would at least offer the prospect of my children enjoying the beauty of large trees.

Jenni H. Taylor MLI, Dip LA; Terence M. Taylor MLI, Kew Dip.