Author: Wellingborough

The residents of Wellingborough, the protesters and the lobbyists stopped 30 of the 45 trees due to be felled from being chopped down; but why did it take all of our actions over two weeks to get this reprieve? If protesters hadn’t blocked the eager contractors at every turn, if residents hadn’t signed the petition, if the Town Council and our campaigners hadn’t lobbied so hard, all of these trees would have been gone.

Even now trees are getting felled in Eastfield Park, we need to urgently get tree protection orders that stand for something in place before we lose more trees. 15 limes is too many on The Walks when councillors from the old Borough Council were told 11. So what on earth is going on North Northamptonshire Council and Vistry? Both may well bottle out of attending the Wellingborough Town Council meeting, as may a few culpable councillors, but we won’t; and we need you!

As Wellingborough residents prepare for extraordinary meeting to discuss London Road trees, click here to hear those involved in decisions tell their side of the story to the Northants Telegraph

To find out what’s going on, join us for a bit of democracy at Wellingborough Town Council’s extraordinary meeting at 7pm at Sir Christopher Hatton Academy, The Pyghtle, Wellingborough Thursday 9th March. They want to hear your voice, and so do we, see you there!

What a fab morning, the contractors were already busily packing up as most of us arrived at 8:00, grumbling that they had to go where there’s work, so we made sure they went (in a jubilant but friendly way of course).

As well as putting the fence back up they’d wrecked by felling a tree on it and leaving the area in a right old mess (kicking the lumps of grass about) here’s a mix of videos of their beast leaving. Good riddance, we don’t want you to come back!

100 or so jubilant campaigners gathered for LIME AID on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the pause of felling the trees on The Walks. Marion Turner-Hawes led the way with an update. Protesters and lobbyists joined in with suggestions on how we save our trees permanently.

Everyone was thanked for the part they have played in our successful campaign, then Marly join us and everyone cheered. We all then hugged the people next to us and then formed a huge circle around the car park to have a bit of fun with a Mexican Welly Wave to thank everyone for their support.

NEXT UP is Monday from 8am to make sure the contractors go, AND THEN we need as many people as possible to attend on Thursday evening, 7pm at Sir Christopher Hatton School for the Wellingborough Town Council meeting.

It’s all about The Walks, let’s show them we care with people power! Get your questions in now, click here to submit them and click here for the meeting’s agenda.

Just to remind you that we had expected to lose 45 trees, including more than 20 last week. We lost just one last week, and 15 in total, mainly because committed protesters blocked the contractors at every turn; giving lobbyists and the powers that be time to get this temporary pause.

The battle has been won, but the fight continues to save our trees permanently. Join us, we will carry on campaigning at every level to stop our trees being cut down. Thank you all for your support!

Join us on under our beautiful limes, at The Embankment Car Park from 3:30pm this Sunday for LIME AID, a chance to celebrate of the stay of execution following a summit between politicians and developers. What an amazing result!

The parties met at midday on Friday to thrash out the fate of the lime trees in Swanspool House. Peter Bone MP, North Northamptonshire Council leader Jason Smithers and chief executive Rob Bridge held an hour-long meeting with Vistry bosses Andrew Bloxham and Keith Carnegie.

Twenty protesters had gathered under the trees on Friday from 8am – 1pm, to safeguard them, then as news broke that an announcement was to be made, some of them and others went to Swanspool House to hear that it had been decided to pause felling until Vistry could hold a public engagement session.

Marion Turner-Hawes said upon hearing the result “my biggest thanks go to every person from within our community and outside for making such amazing efforts to stand up for what they believe. We are delighted that people will get the chance to get properly heard on their matter.” Watch her speak after the announcement on YouTube:

Campaigners gathered at the council offices – the start point of the Wellingborough Walks and where the original planning decision was made in December 22, 2015. Click here to read more reaction from all parties in the Northants Telegraph, watch their video below:

Wellingborough Town Council will hold a public meeting about the trees at 7pm on Thursday 9th March at Sir Christopher Hatton School. Agenda attached, we will update you with more details, but note that to speak you will normally have to contact the council beforehand.

Well done everyone, nearly there but we need to keep campaigning. Do join us at 3:30pm on Sunday for updates and to celebrate us saving our trees!

Here’s some fantastic news from Swanspool House this afternoon! Marion Turner-Hawes would like to announce that ‘As it stand, from initial understanding… We’ve only gone and done it!’ Watch her announcement on Facebook or on YouTube:

Our beautiful limes, on The Walks at The Embankment are safe for now. North Northamptonshire Council had urged the contractors to stop the chop until Friday, and they did. Campaigners welcomed the temporary pause in felling for high-level behind-closed-doors talks take place on Friday. At these talks we had a result, no more felling until Vistry hold a public consultation.

We would like to say thank you to everyone for stopping the contractors felling the trees this week, we only lost one! Thank you to barrister Paul regarding the legal basis of our work. Thank you to Peter Bone MP for talking North Northants Council round, a massive thank you to Marion and everyone for their work behind the scenes, and most importantly thank you to the whole community for your support! Full report later.

Well done everyone!

Join us on under our beautiful limes, at The Embankment from 8am this Friday. North Northamptonshire Council had urged the contractors to stop the chop until Friday, and they did. Campaigners welcomed the temporary pause in felling for high-level behind-closed-doors talks take place on Friday. Everyone had a quieter day under the trees on Thursday and the road wasn’t closed either. But will the felling start again on Friday?

We would like to say thank you to everyone for keeping on eye on Thursday to make sure the contractors did actually leave the trees alone. It was lovely and calm, so much so that protesters and contractors sat peacefully together to share hot drinks with each other.

Thursday was still a busy in the background. Tree barrister Paul has written to the Council with questions for the developer regarding the legal basis of their work. Marion has also written to the contractors and North Northants Council about their meeting with the MP. Currently campaigners do not have a representative attending.

Wellingborough Town Council are also planning to hold an open meeting next week about The Walks, after request from many council members for an extraordinary full council meeting. Date to be announced but will be some time in the middle to later next week .

Well done everyone, one more day to go, nearly there but we need to keep vigilant. Do join us from 8am on The Walks to safeguard our trees!

Join us on The Walks, under our beautiful limes, at The Embankment from 8am this Thursday. North Northamptonshire Council has urged the contractors to stop the chop until Friday, but haven’t made them. We could lose the lot before they do, let’s ensure that we don’t lose any more…

Wednesday was an emphatic win for local residents. With the heroics of Marly who took his place in the branches of the same tree Paul occupied at 6am; Lilly who rooted herself to the base of another just as officers tried to clear the site, and many others holding the police to their word to wait for the outcome of talks; the protesters held off the contractors again for another day. No one was arrested apart from Marly, who was also un-arrested after he was assured that no work could take place.

Marion Turner-Hawes and our barrister Paul Powesland held talks with Council leader Jason Smithers about the legalities of felling the trees, and the police on site agreed to wait for the outcome of this meeting before arresting people to clear the ‘workspace’. A little unfortunate for them the meeting lasted much longer than expected.

Marion arrived on site at 1:30 to brief police and protesters that NNC are asking the contractors to pause their felling so that the leader and MP can meet on Friday with the developer to assess the legalities of chopping down the historic limes. Click here to read more in the Northants Telegraph

But just as you might think that common sense has prevailed, Northants Police issue a statement to intimidate protesters from the footpath. Police have so far arrested six protesters, click here to read more in the Northants Telegraph.

So Thursday is another day, and almost the only guarantee is surprises. These, if last Thursday is anything to go buy might not bode well for our lovely limes (the contractors felled twelve last Thursday) but this week feels very different and the people are saving our trees! We’ve only lost one this week, join us from 8am on The Walks to ensure that we don’t lose any more.

Join us to protect our historic limes from 8am this Wednesday. It’s the first day of March and we think that the trees on The Walks should be preserved so they can spring back into life for nature and for the people of Wellingborough.

On Tuesday that’s exactly what our barrister, Paul Powesland did. He sprang to the rescue by challenging the legality of the contractors senseless and shameful destruction, and when ignored by Northants Police, he sprung up one of the 20 trees due to be removed as Northants Police cleared protesters from the designated work zone and sat in it all day to prevent further illegal felling. Click here to read all about it with the Northants Telegraph.

Mr Powlesland has been giving advice to Wellingborough campaigners, saying that in his legal opinion the felling is not lawful and has asked North Northants Council (NNC) and developers of Stanton Cross to engage with him.

And as if by magic, the rarest of beasts came out from behind the trees. NNC Leader Jason Smithers turned up to tell all that contractors were acting lawfully and that we shouldn’t be worried as the limes would not be lost, as they would be made into park benches for the town. We need to stop Jason’s magic.

A compromise to the conditions that Barrister Paul was arrested was met and he came down and was processed in a police van at dusk. Another day and just one tree lost this week to Bovis Homes contractors and the will of North Northamptonshire Council. Time to spring into action to stop more trees being cut down. See you from 8am…

Do join us if you can to save Wellingborough Walks on Tuesday. Protesters will be there again from 8am, with tree felling expected to start at 9:30 once they’ve closed the road. We expected carnage on Monday and it didn’t happen, let’s prevent them cutting down these beautiful healthy limes, that are full of bats, again.

Monday saw eager contractors hell bent on felling the limes on The Walks. The day had started early with protesters blocking lorries and access for the contractors to the site. Again many of us were threatened with arrest, but we did delay their lust to turn our trees into sawdust.

As protesters stood in front of lorries carrying equipment, behind the scenes evidence gleaned by local wildlife enthusiasts and points of law were being reviewed by Northants Police. The contractors from Bovis Homes however did later have to prove a point, by ripping the tops off two trees, which could be said to be the worst pollarding job ever.

Watch this special report by PurpleVision that includes all of Monday’s protests and our footage of the trees having their limbs being ripped off. As Purple says ‘at the end of Monday the Lime tree avenue stands proud for another day thanks to the efforts of the residents’. Tuesday is a new day and the battle to save our trees will continue. See you from 8:00am…

Another day of destruction today by eager contractors hell bent on felling the limes on The Walks. The day had started early with scores of protesters blocking lorries and access for the contractors to the site. Again many of us were threatened with arrest, but unfortunately due to this, we let the machine be unloaded that would be used in anger.

This time, in what very much seems to have been done to prove a point, two trees were literally ripped down this afternoon. The same machine that had been used to clear the site of chopped down trees last week was this time used to rip them apart. Here is a recording of the first of two trees being destroyed (with commentary about why and who is responsible):