The Poole People Ward Councillors were attempting to get the Monterey Pine trees in the station yard protected back in 2021, when the short waiting area below them was rendered unusable because the tree-roots had broken up the tarmac, creating a trip-hazard. Cllr Mark Howell wanted a Tree Protection Order (TPO) put in place, and we were told that the trees were in reasonable health, not in any immediate danger, and that it was therefore not necessary to put a Tree Protection Order (TPO) on them because they were under a responsible authority for managing woodland in their control.
Cllr Andy Hadley had also been in touch with Southwestern Railway to ask what plans they had to get the short waiting car park area back into use, anticipating that they might move from the broken tarmac to a permeable surface for the benefit of both the trees and station users.
What we didn’t know was that around the same time, tree contractors for Southwestern Railway had also looked at the trees, and claimed that they were diseased. Because there was no TPO in place, they deemed that it was OK to cut them down. The action was delayed because of budgetary constraints, but the trees were removed without warning in March 2023.
As a result of strong intervention from your Poole People Ward Councillors, the remaining trees in the yard now do have Tree Preservation Orders on them, and the planning department are chasing with the Railway company for a plan for suitable replacement planting for those that have been felled. This is far from ideal, as it will take years to replace what was lost.