Proposed Replacement of Trees in Church Street

Surrey County Council and Mole Valley District Council are inviting views on the proposal to replace the lime trees on Church Street in Leatherhead with birch trees. Taking this step is considered necessary to ensure that potentially slippery residue is not dropped onto the pavement around the trees when they are in full leaf.

During 2017, Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) worked in partnership with Surrey County Council (SCC) to improve the public realm in Church Street in Leatherhead. This included new paving, improved drainage, new street furniture and the addition of four new lime trees.

During the warmer months when the lime trees are in full leaf, a potentially slippery residue can fall onto the pavement around the trees. After careful consideration it has been concluded the only way to ensure that this doesn’t happen in the future is to replace the trees with a different type of tree, proposed to be birch.

In order to extract the existing trees with minimal damage to the surrounding paving, work would need to be completed in two phases. Subject to the outcome of consultation, Phase 1 would involve the removal of lime trees in spring 2024. This would be followed by the commissioning of works required to prepare the pits to take the replacement trees. The aim is to complete the replanting during the 24/25 planting season.

Anyone who has a view on the proposal to fell and replace the trees can leave their comments before 20 March 2024 by visiting SCC’s website www.surreysays.co.uk/environment-and-infrastructure/church-street-leatherhead. Comments may also be submitted in writing to:

Surrey County Council Highways Dept.
Merrow Complex
Merrow Lane
Merrow
Guildford
Surrey
GU4 7BQ

Steve Bax, Deputy Cabinet Member for Highways at SCC, said: “SCC and MVDC are working together to make improvements to Leatherhead town centre, including these proposed works to replace the lime trees with new birch trees. The birch trees will provide biodiversity in the town centre and also shade for the seating areas.”

Councillor Keira Vyvyan-Robinson, MVDC’s Cabinet Member for Property and Projects, said: “This is not a proposal that we are putting forward lightly, but one that we believe is in the best interest of our community. We recognise the significance of trees in enhancing our urban environment, and we are committed to ensuring that the replacement trees would continue to contribute positively to the public realm in Church Street. Notice of these proposed works has been registered with our Planning Service.”