Dismay over loss of trees

Contractors moved on to Willenhall Lawn Cemetery, in Bentley Lane, earlier this month to begin work to increase the number of plots on the site by 1,000 – more than three years after planning permission had been granted.

Walsall Council said that, without the extension, the cemetery would have run out of capacity within 18 months and the extra plots will ensure burials for at least another 10 years, preventing the need to send people to other locations.

Funding of more than £1,350,000 over the next two years was agreed by the council in February this year.

But contractors were temporarily held up for a day when people living in Wayside Gardens and Short Heath councillor Sarah-Jane Cooper arrived on site on Monday and urged them to stop.

As well as the old oak, dozens of other trees are being removed from the site to make way for the new plots.

Councillor Cooper said residents had been distressed and a fresh consultation should have been held given the time between permission being granted and work starting on September 12.

Some residents even claimed that the original plans, which were approved in February 2016, had been amended without them being consulted on.

But a Walsall Council spokesman confirmed the plans had not been changed and therefore a fresh consultation wasn’t necessary while the centuries old oak tree was not subject to a preservation order.

Officers spoke with the residents and Councillor Cooper and work has resumed on site.

Brian Madelin, 74, from Wayside Gardens, said: “It is very upsetting. They are desecrating the place.

“They are getting rid of at least 50 trees, including a 300-year-old oak which needs to be left there.

“Chopping down so many trees could have a real effect on climate change and they also acted as a screen from noise being heard from our gardens, which has increased since the trees started coming down.”

Councillor Cooper said: “There have been three years since permission was granted and work started on the site. I think a consultation with residents should have occurred as things on the site – such as wildlife and conservation – may have changed.

“There are people who have lived in this area for 50 years. They and their children and grandchildren would have enjoyed that area and maybe even climbed that tree.

“This all could have been handled more sensitively. I’m sure the 300-year-old tree could have been kept and extra plots created elsewhere on the site.”

A Walsall Council spokesman said: “The plans to extend the Willenhall Lawn Cemetery were consulted on in 2015 and then considered and approved in February 2016. There have been no changes to the planning application as submitted and approved.

“Details of the area to be cleared as well as a full arboricultural assessment and report were submitted as part of the planning application.

“Regarding the specific oak tree referred to, there is no tree preservation order in place on this tree and neither is the site a conservation area and so the tree is not considered to be of sufficient arboricultural significance to be retained.

“Professional officers have completed all necessary assessments at the site, including bird surveys, over recent months before the works commenced.

“Residents would not normally be informed of commencement of works where they are unlikely to be directly affected.

“There are no residents fronting the site, the nearest property is approximately 75 metres away and does not overlook the site.”