Thurso square’s ‘danger trees’ now face the chop
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THE fate of 16 trees in Sir John’s Square in Thurso has been decided.
Five – considered to be in a dangerous condition – will be felled within the next six months while the remaining 11 are due to go in a phased operation which could last up to nine years.
That was the outcome of a special ward meeting held in the town on Tuesday night to discuss the controversial plan to get rid of the trees.
The proposal caused a public outcry when it was first mooted by the Highland Council with over 2500 people signing a petition in a two-week period. Following the widespread opposition, the council put its proposal on hold until the issue was fully debated.
Opponents of the scheme, local community and Highland councillors and tree experts met in Sir John’s Square and were shown the trees which are in the worst condition.
Robert Patton, the local authority’s principal land officer, and council forestry officer Nick Richards explained that an independent survey found five of the trees are in a bad condition, are decaying internally and should be removed.
The party of around 30 people later assembled in the Pentland Hotel for a presentation and to discuss the options for the future of the trees.
Mr Patton said trees such as sycamore are not suited to gardens in the centre of Thurso and claimed heavy pruning and poor maintenance in the past accelerated the onset of internal decay.
He said three trees were removed in 2006 while 12 new ones – four silver birch, four Norway maple and four Swedish whitebeam – were planted in 2010.
Mr Patton said under the current plan the 16 old trees would be removed in a phased operation lasting up to nine years with five scheduled to go in the next six months. He stressed an attempt would be made to try and extend the life of the remaining trees.
But a further four trees would be earmarked to be chopped in a three to six-year period with the other seven going in a six to nine-year timescale.
Members of the audience pointed out the trees survived in heavy gales and severe winters.
However, Mr Patton said if a tree came down and caused damage to a person or a vehicle then the council could face an insurance claim. "People would then ask why we did not do something," he stated.
That point was picked up by Thurso Highland councillor Roger Saxon who said the local authority would be "foolish not to take the advice of the experts".
"The trees may last another 10 years or may fall on someone’s head or damage someone’s car tomorrow. We just don’t know.
"If we do not take the advice we have been given we would be very foolish indeed," stated Mr Saxon.
He said the existing trees – some of which he described as "ugly" – are unsuitable for the gardens and felt the new ones would be more appropriate in scale and height for a central location in Thurso.
There had been a suggestion from several members of the public that the council had planned to remove the trees from Sir John’s Square a few years ago following earlier problems with starlings and bats roosting in them.
But the claim was strongly denied by Thurso Highland councillor John Rosie who said: "We have no control over rumours."
He added: "There has never been a policy for all the trees to come out. They belong to the people of Thurso and we are responsible for looking after them.
"We have been told by the experts that some of the trees are in a dangerous condition and we are trying to come up with the best and correct answer."
Morris Campbell, of Ormlie Crescent, Thurso, suggested the public faced greater dangers from potholes in the road and the derelict house on the corner of Sir John’s Square than from the trees.
He wanted to know what mechanism would be used to come to "a democratic decision" about the trees.
"We are listening to the public and will make a decision," stated Mr Rosie.
Amanda Buttress, who, along with Cara Duff, started the petition, noted the trees had been badly maintained in the past and no consultation with experts undertaken.
She felt decisions about the trees should be left to the experts rather than the elected members.
Addressing the local Highland councillors, she said: "You are no more experts than anybody else."
Replying, Mr Rosie said: "That’s why we asked the experts to come in."
Thurso community councillor Don Smith argued the trees are going to be taken down "one way or another in nine years’ time" and suggested it may be cheaper and more practical "to take them down in one go rather than in phases".
The remark did not please Stephen Buttress who pointed out many people in Thurso do not want the trees to be removed and stressed over 2500 people signed the petition.
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross roads and community works manager Campbell Stewart claimed there was no choice other than to go along with the experts’ recommendations.
Thurso councillor Donnie Mackay, who chaired the meeting, said: "There is only one way we can go. I could not live with myself if a tree came down and hit someone."
Mr Rosie added: "Nobody wants to see the trees coming down but we ignore the advice we have been given at our peril."
The three local councillors accepted that five of the trees would be coming down within six months but said the remaining 11 will be monitored to see if their life can be extended.
After the meeting, Mrs Buttress was philosophical about the outcome.
"It is sad but we have got to be realistic. There was no room for negotiating regarding the five trees in the most dangerous condition. But what we wanted was an assurance the remaining trees will be managed properly in the future and ways of extending their lives examined and we got that," she said.
"We would also hope there will be further consultation at each phase of the programme and will be keeping a close eye on future developments."
