The plight of a mature lime tree in the city centre hangs in the balance once again, despite an ongoing campaign to protect St Albans' green heritage.

Last year St Albans Civic Society urged Herts county council to rethink plans to fell the tree in Bricket Road because it would obscure the planned entrance to the underground car park for the new Civic Centre Opportunity Site (CCOS).

It was feared the move would set a precedent at a time when St Albans district council has declared a climate crisis. With support from Cllr Chris White, portfolio holder for climate, environment and transport, the tree appeared to have been saved, but now its future is once again threatened.

Civic Society president Tim Boatswain told the Herts Ad: "We are very concerned that the county council still intends to fell this mature healthy tree because it is considered a safety issue with regard to the planned car park entrance to the CCOS project.

"The loss of this tree shows extraordinary misjudgement, which once more prioritises traffic at the expense of the natural environment at a time when every effort should be made to reduce traffic and pollution by promoting greening.

"The evidence is clear that not only do trees help tackle the climate crisis but are also essential for the well-being of the public.

"It is ironic that felling this tree should be on the grounds of 'health and safety' and actually ignore the health benefits and beauty it brings to the community. The reality should be a different way of thinking, whereby the CCOSS project should take into account the importance of this tree and all the others to the citizens of St Albans and accommodate its plans accordingly and not the other way around.

"The felling of this tree would also set an unwelcome precedent for the few other mature trees in Bricket Road which can be seen 'to encroach into the carriageway'. It would be seen as yet another loss, added to the significant number of fine trees, which will be felled around this site as a result of the planned works."

A petition opposing the scheme can be found at: https://bit.ly/390S379