Council accused 'blatant hypocrisy' in town hall trees row

The north and south annexes of Wallasey Town Hall are currently being taken down to make way for a planned development of almost 149 homes.

The South Annexe has been demolished and demolition of the North annexe, which is described as in "close proximity" to the six cherry trees, is now underway.

Located behind the fence on the demolition site is a bus stop that has been protected so it is not demolished. This is an issue that has angered local campaigner Paul Cardin, who has asked for the trees to be saved.

Located behind the fence on the demolition site is a bus stop that has been protected so it is not demolished. (Image: Paul Cardin)

Mr Cardin told the Globe: "When I attended the emergency Environment Committee on April 15, councillor Elizabeth Grey's official response was that it would not be possible to transplant or protect these trees.

"However, as can be viewed on the YouTube video I took recently, this was not the case.

"It appears Councillor Grey or her officers had made provision with Merseytravel to ensure that a nearby bus stop within the bounds of the demolition site received full protection from any potential damage.

"As for the six cherry trees, they were left unshielded. If you watch the video closely you can see that some of the branches were ripped from the trees by falling steel and masonry."

Work on demolition of Wallasey Town Hall's North Annexe underway. Three of the cherry trees can be seen in front (Image: Paul Cardin)

A council spokesperson told the Globe:  "All of our urban trees are important, however due to these six cherry trees being so close to the foundations of the building, the demolition of the North Annexe cannot take place without causing significant damage to them.

"The recommendation of our tree specialist was that they should be removed. As we move forward with the ambitious regeneration proposals for the Seacombe Corridor and area around Wallasey town hall, we will use this opportunity to replace the lost trees with new ones, including tree species that will not only enhance the arboricultural diversity but also improve the overall landscape of this location."

In his address to the authority's environment, climate emergency and transport committee when it met on April 15, Mr Cardin accused the authority and officers of failing "to make any provision for protecting the six cherry trees".

These concerns were rejected by committee chair Liz Grey, who said the trees would be replaced with new ones "to enhance the biodiversity and eco-system service provision for the area".

Mr Cardin said in his statement to the committee: "With thoughtful planning, this situation was both foreseeable and avoidable.

"If the council leader and his officers had envisaged this situation arising, the trees could have been either carefully shielded from damage or potentially transplanted to another nearby location.

"If carried out professionally and with due care, it is entirely feasible to transplant mature trees. Wirral Council employs a number of staff who are qualified to carry out this specialist work.

"The display boards outside the Brighton Street site clearly indicate that the works are 'government funded'.

"I believe it would have been possible to make representations to central government in order to apply for the funds needed to avoid destroying these beautiful, blossoming trees."

In response, Cllr Grey said: "You have my sympathy, because the trees are beautiful. It's always difficult to see mature trees go, so we do understand and appreciate your concerns.

"It was determined that a successful retention of the trees in such proximity to the buildings would not be possible, therefore, the very difficulty decision was made to remove the trees and ensure adequate replacement.

"The decision was made to allocate resources towards replacement planting instead of attempting transplantation, which was more likely to be successful as we move forward with the ambitious regeneration proposals for the second corridor and the area around Wallasey Town Hall.

"We will use this opportunity to replace the trees with new ones to enhance the biodiversity and eco-system service provision for the area.

"We do acknowledge the concerns raised and assure you that every effort will be made to mitigate the impact of this tree loss, ensuring that the replacement trees are well-suited to the environment and and will establish successfully."

Addressing Mr Cardin's concerns that the trees would be felled without checking for the existence of birds or bats within the trees, Cllr Grey responded: "I asked that question at the time and can pretty much guarantee that they would not take trees down without checking them first. That is their job."

The annexes' demolition is the first step in plans to regenerate the area around Wallasey Town hall and is being funded by £2.3m from the second round of Brownfield Land Release Fund.

This requires housing to be delivered on the sites by 2027 and Wirral Council plans for 149 homes to be built in the form of two three or four storey developments on the annexe sites.

"Ambitious proposals" revealed for the wider area around the town hall also show plans for 496 homes, new commercial and retail space in the area, a new leisure centre, and a new park. It also identified potential for a mass transit system as part of its longer term ambitions.

The leisure centre at Guinea Gap will remain until funding is granted for a new facility that is proposed next to the new Riverside Primary School. Parking could be provided via underground parking or multi-storey 'car barns.'

The council also proposes improving access from the area around the town hall to the promenade and said alternative connections for people in wheelchairs, or with prams or cycling were needed. New road crossings and tree planting are proposed.

According to the proposals, the Department for Education is supporting construction of a new Riverside Primary school. The plans are currently being looked at by Wirral Council following public feedback.

"But as it's Seacombe, they assumed they could say nothing and get away with it."