Harpenden residents angry over spread of park’s trees

RESIDENTS claim they are living in a forest rather than a park thanks to towering trees close to their homes.

A number of residents of Arcadian Court in Lydekker Park, Harpenden, have complained to the town council about the close proximity of the trees to their flats and the loss of light and view.

One of them, Mr George Cohen, 85, said: “They have taken my light away almost completely and taken away my view. I have had different town councillors down here and they have said we can’t do anything this year.”

Mr Cohen and his neighbours have been concerned about the trees for around six years but no-one has been out to prune or cut them back. He said: “The problem is they are growing each year and growing fast.”

Barrier

He pointed out that it had led to security concerns in the flats because the trees formed a barrier which hid anything going on behind them. “Over the time I have been here, I have had to phone the police about youths there. I can hear the noise but I can’t give them any information.”

Harpenden town clerk John Bagshaw said that because of concerns expressed by residents in various parts of Lydekker Park, a tree survey had been carried out so that a programme of work could be undertaken across the park as a whole.

The trees which were bothering Mr Cohen and his neighbours were well formed and well shaped trees which would all have to be pruned or cut back if the work was to be done, not treated in isolation, he went on.

Mr Bagshaw added: “We are not being deliberately obtuse or awkward but we can’t do everything and have to carry out the programme on a considered basis.”