Residents protest against trees being cut down by forming ‘human chains’

By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter 

Residents formed ‘human chains’ and padlocked an entrance to stop council contractors from chopping down trees.

Shepherd’s Bush Green was stormed by residents early on Friday morning, who barricaded themselves around the decades-old trees with banners until workers gave up and left, according to protesters.

The council said the trees needed cutting because their roots were destroying an underground bunker.

In 2021, the council approved plans to convert the old bunker into a restaurant and bar.

Catherine MacClancy, an investor in her 60s, said she was one of 10 residents calling on the council to stop the removal of three London Plane trees.

Ms MacClancy said: “We were very pleased to receive a ‘stay of execution’ as I had started to organise a rota of people to protect the trees 24/7 for the weekend as I was concerned the contractor might return and fell the trees.”

By then, one tree had been cut down and another had its branches stripped. When residents returned on Monday they vowed to continue their protest.

Ms MacClancy said: “It is beyond comprehension that a council with a clear clean air policy should fell trees and propose to issue an alcohol licence on the green.”

The planning application from 2021 shows the build is tipped to cost the applicant £2million to complete. A report shows the council had planned to remove the trees regardless of the planning application.

Heather Warren, who has lived in the area for eight years, said: “I have a three-year-old nephew and I can’t bring him here any more. It’s not as nice as it used to be.”

She also claimed the council did not carry out a proper consultation.

Ms Warren said: “We need to be consulted.

“If I need to change a window in my home I need to consult the council, but they didn’t do that for us.”

In a statement, Hammersmith and Fulham council said: “The removal of the trees has become necessary only because we have recently taken on a lease on the underground property which has been vacant for 15 years.

“The tenant is seeking to revive the space as a local amenity and bring it back to life. We understand how important trees are to our community.”

It also said it informed local groups such as the Friends of Shepherd’s Bush Green but residents claim that message was never passed on.

The council said it is not required by law to carry out a statutory consultation for the removal of these three trees from Shepherd’s Bush Green because they are damaging a property.

They said they regularly carry out removals of trees across the borough for subsidence and other issues – this include for private landowners and businesses too.

It also said it aims to plant 160 new trees every year and expand canopy from 14per cent to 16.5per cent.

We have not received a response from the applicant.

Pictured top: Catherine MacClancy and another protester forming a ‘human chain’ around a tree in Shepherd’s Bush Green on Friday (Picture: Supplied with permission)