FRUSTRATED campaigners have hit out at council bosses for giving the green light to plans to axe a set of trees in Belfairs Park.

Cadent Gas has been given permission from Southend Council to remove the 12 trees amid fears encroaching roots could damage a gas pipe, which connects Ashingdon and Eastwood.

The trees, which are thought to be 150-years-old, are being axed from a small woodland area between Belfairs Farm and Woodlands Park entrance.

Southend Council has vowed to plant 36 new trees in place of the ones being cut down, but campaigners warn it will take decades for them to grow and truly replace those being axed.

Richard Longstaff, of campaign group Once Upon A Tree, said: “Southend’s canopy cover is well below the minimum threshold, if the council is using replacement saplings when trees are removed, it will be more than 20 years before they become in any way beneficial.

“It feels like the council is systematically reducing our city’s tree canopy cover, which is the reverse of their policy, and the fact that they are well below minimum threshold, as cited by the forestry commission, for tree canopy cover for coastal communities.”

Cadent says removing the trees will also improve access to the pipeline in case of emergencies.

Carole Mulroney, Southend councillor responsible for environment, culture and tourism, said: “As a council we work hard to preserve nature but unfortunately there are times where trees need to be removed to carry out essential work.

“In this case, Cadent Gas are carrying out vital work related to the local gas pipeline and we have little choice but to allow the works to go ahead.

“The work by Cadent follow a notice of improvement issued by the Health and Safety Executive and the need for Cadent to maintain and safeguard access to the gas pipeline for emergencies and maintenance.

“Trees play such an important role within our city’s green infrastructure and our tree policy aims to increase our tree planting within as many areas as possible.”