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Despite our best efforts to block their progress both physically and legally, North Northamptonshire Council and Bovis Homes contractors have successfully felled two of our mature limes on The Walks this afternoon. We have had four people arrested today, trying to defend our trees.

We have video evidence of this crime being committed and will be again seeking legal advice to see if we can convict those responsible for this environmental devastation. They have now ceased work for the day, we will all be back tomorrow to stop further trees being chopped down.

Stay of execution for another day, as protesters are threatened with arrest on Tuesday, but developers promise to start the destruction of the lime trees on the Walks on Wednesday. Can we stop the chop again? Protests start from 8:30am on the Embankment and Walks.

Arriving as the fencing was being erected on Tuesday North Northants councillor Tim Allebone (Con, Croyland and Swanspool) said: “We seem to be systematically trashing Wellingborough. I want as many trees as possible saving. I am not happy about this. I appreciate we need the eastern bypass but this is an historic established route into town. Attractive and perfectly healthy trees are being decimated.

Click here for a full report from Tuesday’s battle with North Northamptonshire Council and their developers.

This video shows the view from above of all the trees. Let’s keep up the fight to stop this unlawful destruction of our trees and historic Walks.

We managed to stop the chop on Monday, can we continue to prevent the destruction of our trees by North Northamptonshire Council. We hope so. Join us from 8:30am to get in their way again. If we can stop them setting up then we keep our trees. See you there!

Monday was a huge success, thank you everyone who stood at the entrance to the Embankment car park, where workers had parked their vans containing barriers needed to section off the pavement. It meant the contractors were unable to start work as the road was not closed.

As the stand-off continued, behind the scenes Marion Turner-Hawes, who had first highlighted the imminent felling of the trees, was seeking legal advice from campaigning specialist ‘tree barrister’ Paul Powlesland, founder of Lawyers for Nature. He has offered his services to help sift through the hundreds of documents to ascertain if there is any legal way to challenge the planning decision.

Click here to read more about it on the Northants Telegraph website. Do join us from 8:30am tomorrow to get in their way again.

Individuals blocked the road management crews from leaving the Embankment Car Park. Also includes an interview with Wellingborough Eco Group‘s Jonathan Hornett who says why we all want to save our trees!

People have already been turning out to protect our trees from being cut down this morning. Join us for a full protest from 9am. This could be the last time you see our historic limes on this section of the Walks, will you let them destroy over 100 years of our history or the habits for thousands of birds and bugs.

Meet at the Dog and Duck Pub at 9, or on the Walks – see you there!

(Picture above from Thursday’s protest)

Councillors Marion Turner-Hawes and Valerie Anslow would like to thank everyone who came came out to protest the senseless vandalism of cutting down up to 61 lime trees from our historic Walks. It was truly inspiring to see that so many local people care about their trees and the town’s history.

Click here for an excellent article of yesterday’s protest by the Northants Telegraph. The protest was also covered by ITV local news.

Today Cllrs Turner-Hawes and Anslow are trying to get the trees saved by submitting the petition to North Northamptonshire Council and to put a temporary stop to the chop, because the plans are a mess, no body knows if it’s 11 trees, 32 or all 61 from the roundabout to the Dog and Duck Pub.

So please do continue to sign the petition at https://chng.it/PsFSvSxk9K, plus write to your councillors and MP ASAP. Find your Town Councillors at https://www.wellingboroughtowncouncil.gov.uk/…/council…/ and North Northamptonshire Councillors at https://northnorthants.moderngov.co.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx…

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL & PROTEST

We are holding two more shows of public objection to this vandalism:

On Sunday (19th February) at 6pm, we hope that you can join us for a Candlelight Vigil for what might well be the last day of their lives. Join us at the Dog and Duck Pub at 6pm for this quiet contemplating protest.

On chop day, Monday 20th February, we are planning to guard the trees from 8am, and protest from 9am. Please do join us to stop the chop, because even if we have a successful order to put them off, we want to make sure.

Thank you everyone for your support.

Come and make your voice heard on Thursday at 11am.

Dear All,

Do join us on Thursday to get your voice heard. We are holding a protest about the planned felling of the trees on Thursday morning (16th) at 11am, and colleagues from ITV Anglia News also intend to be there to hear and help amplify our concerns.

Please bring signs, placards (yes we’ve made a few) and things to make noise and show the developers and others, that people in Wellingborough will be heard!

Meet at the Dog and Duck at 11am.

We look forward to seeing you then…

Best wishes

Marion

Cllr Marion Turner-Hawes

Wellingborough Town Councillor,

Isebrook Ward

Here’s a poster for the protest and petition to save the trees. Please do sign at https://chng.it/PsFSvSxk9K