FELLED HISTORICAL TREE CAUSES ANGER

Enfield became National News this week when a 450 year old Oak Tree was cut down in Whitewebbs Park next to a Toby Carvery. The story was covered on Television news including BBC, ITV and C4

The land on which the tree stood is the property of Enfield Council and is leased to Toby Carvery. The tree has stood in the same position since the 1600s and ancient Oaks like this one have been known to live for a thousand years. The tree had a girth of over six metres and is in the top 100 of London’s 600,000 Oak trees for size. Most trees of significance are protected via a tree protection order (TPO). However, this needs to be granted by the local authority and trees on council land are often overlooked. Councils, as the TPO policing force, are expected to act in the best interests of important trees and landscapes, although we have seen in this sorry tale, and the destruction of Whitewebbs Park, that this trust is misplaced.

Gentleman’s Row resident and Whitewebbs Ward councillor Dave Skelton has commented: “The cutting down of the precious 400 year old oak should never have happened. We need to know why it didn’t have a Tree Protection Order and why Toby Carvery decided to allow this without a second’s thought. It’s crucial that this can never happen again and that all of the ancient woodland in Whitewebbs is protected with TPOs.

Meanwhile, Enfield has another magnificent ancient Oak Tree not too far from the old Fallow Buck pub on Clay Hill/Hilly Fields. GRH contacted the excellent Enfield Society to ask whether they knew if this particular Oak tree has a TPO.They told us as the tree is on Council property no TPO is required. All Councils must take responsibility for ancient trees on their land. Their spokesman went on to comment about the Whitwebbs Oak saying, ’At the very least it has raised public awareness of the special nature of these amazing veteran trees.’

This week’s news is a reminder of the Sycamore Gap tree a famous and much loved landmark in Northumberland. The Sycamore tree that stood in the natural gap in the land was 150 years old and famous throughout the area. One night in October 2023 the tree was mysteriously cut down and left in pieces. As the tree became a crime scene the tree was valued at £622,191 and eventually two local men in their thirties were arrested. Their trial begins on April 28.

On Friday public anger about the felling of the Ancient Oak was gathering pace and an on-line ‘Justice for the Whitewebbs Oak’ was launched. You are asked to sign a petition. (You are also asked to tick yes or no if interested in hearing about other petitions AND to donate £2 if you wish. Please Note you can sign the petition without saying yes to either of these two questions. The £2 goes to the petition organisers and not the Oak Tree)

Click here for more news of the petition AND film of the damaged tree:

https://chng.it/NP26CvXFb8

FOOD DELIVERIES CAN BE DANGEROUS

Mopeds being driven in a reckless and dangerous way are becoming a major concern for some residents on River View.

It is understood that many of the mopeds are delivering food to individual houses and they often take short cuts by crossing either Jephcott Bridge or Barney’s Bridge. One eagle-eyed resident observed dangerous driving on seven separate occasions during March alone. ‘Pedestrians and motorized vehicles do not mix well,’ he told us, ’It is causing locals to feel unsafe when moving around the area. It’s only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured’.

Some residents have made an official complaint to the police and as a result of this official Metropolitan Police letters were hand-delivered to houses in River View and Gentleman’s Row where the moped deliveries have also been causing problems.

Among many supportive comments the letter states, ‘We are taking this matter very seriously’.

The police are particularly keen to receive either phone images or videos of mopeds being driven on footpaths or footbridges. What they are particularly interested in is the registration numbers. Ideally the evidence should be emailed to the Safer Neighbourhood Team at:

enfieldtown.snt@met.police.uk

Another resident suggested, ‘We are asking people who may be ordering food from Uber Eats to have a word and remind the driver how dangerous it can be to ride at speed on pathways.’

These videos were taken by a concerned resident.

AGM COMING UP ON TUESDAY APRIL 29 19:00

Last year the GRH Annual General Meeting was the most popular for years with more than 50 people attending and again this year it will be in the pleasant JUBILEE HALL, Parsonage Lane, off Chase Side.

The Evening will include:

GRH Fifteen Minute Talk – John Cole from Friends of Enfield Chase will be telling us about one of the largest nature restoration projects close to a city anywhere in the UK

PLUS Financial Report/Events to Come/Election of officers/Glass of Wine

Length of meeting : 45 mins approx

YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT ENFIELD

Thank You to everyone that submitted ideas for the Enfield Town Improvement plan following our request in the last newsletter.

All the suggestions were interesting, some were really great and others a little bit controversial

They included:

Make use of empty shops such as ‘pop-up’ units with new ideas offering things that the current shops don’t

More live music performances in the streets should be encouraged making the town more pleasant.

Night-time economy should be worked on like wine-bars and restaurants and occasional late-night shopping

The centre is very urban and more trees rather than just plants should be grown.

People rather than just businesses should have a say.

Other views considered the town as a whole with comments such as, ‘Street cleaning should be more regular’ and ‘Anti-social behavior should be stamped on.’

Augarde & Partners are the company hired by the Council to gather feedback from businesses and other groups about the Council’s plans to improve Enfield Town Centre.

GRH were invited to take part in a private thirty minute zoom meeting and it was during this that the opinions we received from residents were put forward.

SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT ?

GRH has been invited to send a representative to the next meeting which is later this month. As GRH is a residents committee the representative will be putting forward the opinions and ideas of the residents of Holly Walk, River View and Gentleman’s Row.

If you have any views on the Council’s own topic of HOW TO IMPROVE

ENFIELD FOR RESIDENTS please write and let us know at any time at: EMAIL: grhresidents@live.com

A WORD FROM THE COMMITTEE

A CLEAN SWEEP? NOT REALLY!

The on-going battle with the cleansing department at the Council goes on !

Regular readers may be aware of your committee’s battle to have the pedestrian section of Gentleman’s Row swept as regularly as other pavements. In particular, the tree covered section nearest the Registry office and the approach to Barney’s Bridge. Despite the carriageway being cleaned, the department completely ignores the pavements!

This section of Gentleman’s Row has only been properly cleaned twice in the past couple of years – despite assurances from the street cleansing department that it is now going to happen as regularly as other streets.

Your committee made ANOTHER official complaint early this week.

On Friday the two areas were swept – some might say, ‘Not very well’.

WANTED : PEOPLE TO SIT ON GRH COMMITTEE

Every couple of years roundabout now we ask for volunteers to join the GRH Committee.

We do not meet every month BUT we do meet when there is something important to discuss on behalf of the residents of the ‘Three Streets’.

If you would like to join us or want to know more details before you decide please contact us via email at grhresidents@live.com

Alternatively please have a chat to someone already on the committee at the AGM on Monday April 29

HELLO EASTER

A house in Holly Walk is reaching out in a stylish way to welcome Easter. In all there are approximately fifty different coloured artificial eggs attached to the tree that proudly stands in the front garden.

It is the same house that as Christmas approaches regularly has the tree decorated with multi-coloured Christmas baubles.

It’s Happy Easter from them and it’s Happy Easter from GRH

And Finally - GRH COUNTDOWN

9 Days until : AGM APRIL 29

14 Days until : Tennis Court Opens MAY 4

40 Days until : Treasure Hunt JUNE 1

91 Days until : Summer Garden Party JULY 20

STAY IN TOUCH

EMAIL: grhresidents@live.com

WEBSITE: www.grhresidentsassociation.org

INSTAGRAM: @grhenfield

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/grhenfield

The GRH AGM & April Updates

FELLED HISTORICAL TREE CAUSES ANGER