02/07

Email: COLPAI to the Baggers

Hi Bev 

Firstly, can I ask you to forward over the notes from our meeting last week?

Secondly, I have spoken to the Director of Children’s and Community Services and gained his outline approval to keeping all four trees as discuss and re-planting at the City’s cost should they die after the school has been completed.

I still need to agree with Steve- ISG and Emma - BD Landscapes the details (tree planters, cable routes etc) and suspect Steve will still want to condition any agreement to give ISG the provision to remove the tree adjacent to Basterfield service road should they believe it represents a H&S risk, but in any event we will continue to work with the Baggers to make sure you are consulted if this turns out to be the case. 

I also need to check with LBI Planners to make sure they are happy that we submit a revised landscaping proposal showing the retained trees.  

I will contact you again in the near future with an updated landscape plan showing the retained trees.

Regards

Mark Lowman

Property Projects Group

17/07

Planning permission granted with following condition attached

Condition 5

“Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority none of the existing trees on the boundary with the neighbouring allotments shall be removed or pruned. Prior to commencement (excluding demolition) details of the protection of the trees including the roots shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved protection shall be installed in accordance with the approved details and shall be erected before any equipment, machinery or materials are brought on to the site for the purposes of the development, and shall be maintained until all equipment, machinery and surplus materials have been removed from the site. Nothing shall be stored or placed in any treeprotection area in accordance with this condition and the ground levels within those areas shall not be altered, nor shall any excavation be made, without the written consent of the Local Planning Authority. Trees which die or become in the opinion of the Local Planning Authority seriously damaged or defective within 3 years of completion of the development shall be replaced with 4m Birch trees or such alternatives as may be agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.”

05/09

Email: Baggers to City

Dear Mark,

Following up on your encouraging message after you met with the Golden Baggers at the end of June, I attended the Colpai community liaison meeting yesterday evening where we touched on the construction and demolition management plans, which I understand have been submitted to LB Islington and CoL planners in order to discharge the relevant planning conditions.

The draft CMP and DMPs on the Colpai website make no mention of tree protection and the hoarding line indicated alongside the Bagger’s allotments appears to sit alongside or on the boundary wall.  When I attempted to clarify this at the meeting I was advised that it was unlikely that any hoarding would be erected along this boundary and that the existing wall and fencing would form adequate protection at this edge of the site.  I was further advised that the trees would most likely be protected using heras fencing, which I would query as this would be vulnerable to being knocked over by construction vehicles and would offer no protection against dust or indeed any additional protection against construction noise along this boundary.

I note that the condition 5 on the Decision Notice requires the submission of details of tree protection and, whilst the condition appears not to apply to the demolition phase, it is evident that trees can equally be harmed during demolition and would appeal to the development team to consider and give assurances that the trees will be protected during demolition.  Could we also request that a detailed tree protection plan is prepared and circulated for consultation with the Baggers as soon as possible?

Your message below makes reference to an updated landscape plan indicating the retained trees and we would be grateful to see a copy of this if it is available.

Kind regards

Anna Parkinson

Golden Lane Baggers Committee

06/09

Email: COLPAI to Baggers

Dear Anna,

I thought it may be useful for me to respond to this briefly, given Mark was not at the meeting on Tuesday, and we can clarify further at future meetings if necessary. 

My understanding of the discussion at the Liaison Group meeting on Tuesday was the contractor saying he was willing to install hoarding in relation to the trees in a more flexible way to take into account the wishes of the ‘Baggers’ and other affected residents as long as it didn’t have any health and safety implications. This was an offer of the contractor to be flexible rather than stating an intention, such as the trees remaining more visible from the allotment area of the site. 

As you mention below, there is a requirement to submit a detail plan and this will be circulated to stakeholders at an appropriate time.

Again, an updated Landscaping plan will be circulated in due course.

Regards

Gerald Mehrtens 
Director of Academy Development

07/09

Email: Baggers to COLPAI

Dear Gerald, 

Thank you for your prompt reply.

We have a social meeting on the allotments this weekend and I will discuss this issue with the Baggers.

Could you confirm when you intend to commission the tree protection plan, as this will need to be approved by the Planning Authority prior to the commencement of construction on site.  A revised Ecological Study was also mentioned at the meeting - is this a public document and if so, would we be able to see a copy?

Regards

Anna

21/09

Email: Baggers to COPLAI

Dear Gerald and Mark,

I have spoken with a number of the baggers, all of whom share concerns about the protection of the trees and the boundary with the allotments site, as well as potential noise, dust and disruption from the demolition and construction work.  

Please could you provide any further clarity and detail on the proposals for the hoarding and tree protection at this boundary as the plans I have seen in the CMP and DMP are not specific and we are mindful that the demolition work is due to start imminently.

I have also requested 

1. an updated landscape plan

2. a copy of the revised Ecological Survey

3. an assurance that the trees will be protected during demolition

4. that a draft Tree Protection plan be circulated to the Bagger’s Committee as soon as possible

Please could we have an update on the above?

Kind regards 

Anna Parkinson

Golden Baggers Committee

26/09

Email: COLPAI to Baggers

Dear Anna
Thank you for very much for your email, we apologise for the delay in responding. You have raised a number of items which we would like to ensure are all addressed therefore some information is a repeat of information previously provided.

You are correct that the first draft of the CMP / DMP had little information regarding tree protection. This was also raised by other parties during the ‘documents issued for comment’ period, this was addressed on the revised copy submitted for discharge of pre-commencement planning conditions.

You are correct that the hoarding line indicated to sit alongside the Bagger’s allotment, however as previously discussed, the Contractor stated he was willing to install hoarding in relation to the trees in a more flexible way to take into account the wishes of the Baggers’ and other affected residents as long as it didn’t have any health and safety implications.  Again, this was an offer of the Contractor to be flexible rather than stating an intention, such as the trees remaining more visible from the allotment area of the site.

You stated that you was advised that the trees would most likely be protected using heras fencing and that this would offer no protection against dust or indeed any additional protection against construction noise along this boundary.    Again, the offer of heras fencing is a proposal discussed to suit issues raised by the Baggers at the Baggers meeting on the 29^thJune 2018 where protection was discussed.  The meeting minutes state:

“…boundary shrubs and climbers between COLPAI and the Golden Baggers’ Allotments could be retained and protected during the construction period to provide continuity of habitat; preserve existing biodiversity and offer screening from the construction site to mitigate harm and disturbance for residents and the community allotments…”

Could we ask that you co-ordinate a prioritised view from all the Baggers as there now appears to be mixed requirements to:

·       Protect the trees

·       Request to not provide solid hoarding on the proposed hoarding line

·       Existing boundary shrubs and climbers will provide screening from the construction site

Heras fencing has been discussed to address the requirements and now it is understood that heras fencing is now considered inappropriate in terms of dust and noise protection.   

An updated Landscaping plan will be circulated in due course.

The planning condition in relation to trees (condition 5) states:

“Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority none of the existing trees on the boundary with the neighbouring allotments shall be removed or pruned. Prior to commencement (excluding demolition) details of the protection of the trees including the roots shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved protection shall be installed in accordance with the approved details and shall be erected before any equipment, machinery or materials are brought on to the site for the purposes of the development, and shall be maintained until all equipment, machinery and surplus materials have been removed from the site. Nothing shall be stored or placed in any tree protection area in accordance with this condition and the ground levels within those areas shall not be altered, nor shall any excavation be made, without the written consent of the Local Planning Authority. Trees which die or become in the opinion of the Local Planning Authority seriously damaged or defective within 3 years of completion of the development shall be replaced with 4m Birch trees or such alternatives as may be agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.”

A detailed plan is currently being considered and worked through. We will liaise further in due course. An update on the revised ecological study was discussed at the last meeting, where the following was confirmed:

“An ecological appraisal was carried out at on the Golden Lane site on the 29th August 2018. The ecologist confirmed that no bats were seen emerging from the building and the only activity on site was from foraging bats passing high which were arriving from the vegetated area to the west of the site. 
Bats are highly mobile and therefore the Contractor will use a precautionary approach to building demolition.
The ecology team have confirmed that there were no other ecology concerns noted and their full report will follow in due course.   The ecology team has confirmed that no further bat surveys are required, other than as may be required by Planning Conditions.”

We will share relevant reports that will be required to be submitted for Planning Conditions.

Kind regards

The CoLPAI Team

05/10

Email: COLPAI to Baggers

Good afternoon Bev

I am sure you are aware following the Community Liaison Meeting on Tuesday 2 October, that ISG are struggling to keep all four trees adjacent to the allotments in situ during the construction works.  I have spent the last six weeks working with ISG, BD Landscapes and Hawkins Brown Architects attempting to find a solution to save the trees but are coming to the conclusion that for a number of reasons  (Health & Safety concerns, potential for the trees to die once pruned and the volume of root ball that needs to be removed) three of the four trees would possibly either die during construction or pose such a risk or falling down they would need to be removed prior to a start on the assembly/ Sport Hall.   I appreciate this will be a great disappointment to the baggers and residents and therefore would like to explain the reasons behind this with You , Anna and Jaqueline (and your tree expert ) and explore other opportunities to mitigate the loss of the trees.

If you are all free during the week 15-19 October I will arrange the meeting.

Regards

Mark Lowman

Corporate Projects Director

18/10

COLPAI and Baggers meet

Baggers were presented with all the reasons why retaining the trees was a problem for the contractor / developer.

22/10

Email: Baggers to COLPAI

Dear Mark

Thank you for arranging the meeting about the trees last Thursday.   Apologies I had to rush away to pick up my son.

Whilst we were grateful that you had had further survey work done, on reflection there appeared to be little information produced at the meeting which went any way to convince us that you had seriously explored any options to protect the trees, nor any creative thinking to alleviate our concerns.  In fact the only drawings you showed us had the intention of justifying the position that the trees would have to be felled.

· Had you looked at engineering solutions which looked at cantilevering out a slab from piles and beams deeper into the site to avoid the tree roots?  Where were the drawings and calculations?

· Had you looked into relocation of the proposed service trench?  Why were any alternatives dismissed?

· Had you looked at using anything other than a deep scaffold for construction of what is effectively a single storey building?

· Was there any exploration of the boundary treatment and retention of the existing established plants and climbers on the wire fence which currently form an effective screen to the building site?

· Have you looked at sequencing the site operations so that existing trees can be retained for longer and new trees planted in their final position sooner to minimise any temporary planting and provide continuity of habitat and biodiversity.

· We would have expected to see an arboriculturalist’s report on the effect of pruning back the trees to enable the building work to be done.

· The Baggers had also requested at the recent Colpai Communications meetings that the new ecology survey report be copied to us but have not yet seen this.

Having talked to some of the other baggers and gone back to look at the potential impact on the growing boxes which we only constructed, as a community, a couple of years ago, we feel deeply aggrieved that our concerns are being dismissed with an unsatisfactory response.  Looking at the impact of your proposal to import trees temporarily into the established allotments, this is going to be destructive and disproportionate.  It feels like all the compromises are being dumped on the existing community on our side of the wall. 

We appreciate that there is an imperative for you to start on site now that the permission has been given, however true consultation offers options and an analysis of the pros and cons - this has not been done here.

We feel that the Baggers have been treated unfairly by being lead to believe that you had a will to work with us and we will be making representations to the planning authorities to express our disappointment that the ‘consultation’ has resulted in a deeply unsatisfactory outcome for the Golden Baggers and the wider community on the estate.

Regards 

Anna Parkinson

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