A plan to cut down over 400 trees in the Stormont estate has been approved by Belfast City Council despite going against its own tree policy.
A Green Party councillor has said she is “deeply concerned” over plans for the project, which would see the redevelopment of the NI Civil Service Sports Association complex in the grounds of Stormont.
The creation of a “centre of excellence for sport” would require the felling of 404 trees - a move which has been opposed by Belfast City Council’s own tree officer, who warned it would impact wildlife and the area’s “visual character”.
However, the proposal came before the recent meeting of the council’s planning committee, and was recommended for approval by council officers before councillors voted to give it the green light.
A planning report on the application revealed how the council’s tree officer remained opposed.
The report said it would “result in substantial loss of trees across the site”.
“The tree officer advises that they are unable to support the application and advises that the removal of large groups of existing trees within the site...would be detrimental and impact the existing amenity, wildlife, habitat, and impact visual character within the site which the trees currently offer and provide,” the report states.
“The Belfast City Council Landscape, Planning and Development Team raises concerns regarding the potential loss of a significant amount of mature tree cover and the subsequent impact on local biodiversity and wider amenity value, and advises that the landscape proposals would not adequately mitigate substantial tree loss across the whole site.”
Five objections were submitted by members of the public against the proposal, which is “subject to receipt of funding from the Special EU Programmes Body”.
“Officers consider that the very significant benefits that would accrue from this proposal, including the health and community benefits from the provision of a modern sports centre of excellence, as well as international standard facilities, would outweigh the adverse impact resulting from the loss of trees, some of which have a limited lifespan due to the presence of Ash dieback,” the report added.
Councillors were told the applicant plans to plant almost 800 mixed species trees to mitigate the loss of the trees to be felled.
Green Party councillor Áine Groogan said: “It will come as no surprise...I am significantly concerned by the loss of trees in this proposal.
“We have seen time and time again that trees are removed simply because it is easier, rather than necessary.”
She said the council tree officer was “damning in their assessment” of the application, adding: “I find it very hard to stray from their assessment.”
A representative for the applicant told councillors: “On this occasion we had to make decisions about what we can do to improve the overall site, and we have demonstrated we are planting more trees than we are taking down.
“We can be trusted to look after those.”
Ms Groogan added: “We know new planting is all well and good but it has nowhere near the same biodiversity and natural heritage value of a mature tree, whether that be early mature or otherwise.”
Alliance councillor Tara Brooks said: “There is no point in taking down mature trees and replacing them with tiny whips and saying there is some kind of equivalent”.
However, the applicant’s representative said the replacement trees would be “semi-mature” at four to five metres.
The council report highlighted the “high level of support” for the proposal, which would “further develop sport across the island of Ireland”.
