MORE than 20 trees in Tavistock?s two cemeteries, many of which have stood for more than a century, are to be felled after a survey revealed they posed a safety risk.
Twelve mature trees in the Plymouth Road cemetery and 14 mature and semi-mature trees in the disused Dolvin Road cemetery will come down, once the town council has decided on a contractor to carry out the work.
But a Tavistock resident, who plans to be buried next to his parents in the Plymouth Road cemetery, this week appealed to councillors to re-consider the drastic action.
Speaking at Tuesday evening?s full council meeting, Brian Fyfield-Shayler asked members: ?Does the council consider all these trees pose the same level of risk, bearing in mind only a couple are close to public roads, the fact that one of the cemeteries is locked at night when most storm damage occurs, and the other disused and hardly ever visited by the public?
?To fell so many trees at one swoop, at least five of them major landmarks, will devastate the townscape for years to come.?
And Mr Fyfield-Shayler suggested that public safety could ?be more cheaply achieved? in specific cases by disclaimer notices, warning people not to shelter underneath, or perhaps by alternative measures short of felling.
Cllr Jenny Metcalf replied: ?Some of us share your sorrow at the thought of all these trees being cut down, but we can?t question this health and safety structure we are now under.?
Town clerk Roger Howard dismissed the idea of disclaimer notices, saying many people still visited the cemetery at Dolvin Road.
Cllr Judith Williams said they were left with no alternative but to remove the trees in light of the survey.
She said: ?The insurance companies would look very hard at us if we didn?t take action to prevent an accident.?
But one councillor agreed with Mr Fyfield-Shayler, saying the number of trees involved was ?horrifying?.
The trees include four oaks, three beeches, three sitka spruces and four Lawsons Cypress species.
A survey carried out last year indicated the trees were dying and therefore in danger of falling in high winds.
Councillors were told another local authority had recently been fined £150,000 and ordered to pay £56,000 costs after a tree fell onto two cars.
The finance committee has been asked to consider two quotes for the work ? one for £17,650 from Timber-Jack, of Kingsbridge, and another joint bid from Acer Tree Services of Newquay and Expertrees, of Truro, for £20,420.
All members agreed the work was necessary, but requested further quotes be obtained.
The council?s finance committee will consider the tenders submitted for the tree felling, plus any others, as well as options for amending next year?s budget to find savings of £20,000 to cover the costs.