News Brenchley Gardens loses a tree

Work starts today on cutting down a huge tree in Brenchley Gardens as it is no longer safe.

The Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) Parks and Open Spaces Team discovered a major defect in the main fork of a very large mature Tilia last week during routine arboriculture work and have immediately arranged for an approved arboriculture contractor to remove the tree.

Cllr Martin Round, Lead Member for Environmental Services at MBC is very sad to see the magnificent tree removed, he said:

“Sadly the nature of the defect has left us with no choice but to instruct our contractor to remove the tree as a matter of urgency. This is planned for today and tomorrow, 9 and 10 November.

“If the tree were to fall it could land on park users so we cannot risk leaving it. It is also in close proximity to an electrical sub-station and McKenzie Court.

“We have considered all alternative courses of action, however a removal to ground level is the only realistic and safe option. We will of course plant a new Tilia in the area close to the original tree.”

“As much of the tree will be kept and used in the park as possible, as a stumpery, as log habitat for wildlife and as a felled trunk in as large a section as possible.”

Keeping the borough Safe, Clean and Green is a key priority for MBC.

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