Save the Cox's Walk Footbridge Oak Trees

Things are starting to move again after the election and I handed our petition of over 2,700 signatures to Cllr Andy Simmons on Friday. Andy Scholes from the Protect Dulwich Upper Wood Trees campaign handed his petition in too. (You can read about and hopefully it sign here https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/protect-dulwich-upper-wood-trees-farquhar-road?share=0db12f9b-05c0-4071-b258-7ebcd85c603a)

In November Dale Foden, Head of Highways emailed that the repairs were on hold to allow an "independent consultant to undertake a further evaluation of possible practical alternatives to the current proposed works". On Friday Andy and I asked Cllr Simmons if he could set up a meeting for us with the Highways engineers to discuss the brief they have given the consultant. We hope that this is the start of Southwark Council leading the way on inventive, practical engineering solutions to preserve as many of our mature, carbon capturing trees and bio-diverse environments as possible.

Temporary halt on felling the trees!!
Tweet from Helen Hayes today:
'Pleased to say that following further discussion and representations from me,
@CatherineRose6 & @AndySimmons10 Southwark Council has agreed to halt the decision to fell two oak trees in Sydenham Hill Woods so that further options can be explored & community engagement take place'

So many thanks to all of you who have signed this petition - 2,500 people can make a difference!

Notices to fell the oaks have now been tied to the trees. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ei5X4VKUwCaYa57DA They could be cut down at any time from 2nd November. Our latest attempt to delay the works to allow time for a full public consultation have failed without reasons being given. Please respond if you can to [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].

As a result of the site meeting on 8th October, we are now asking for the bridge repairs to be delayed until at least September 2020, to allow time for a full, open public debate on whether to repair the bridge or find an alternative route and save the oaks. This would also give more time to explore engineering solutions to keep the bridge. Any emails you could send to Rebecca Lury [email protected] asking for this would show her that we haven’t given up yet; this campaign is still alive!
The exciting news is that local arborist, John Welton, has climbed both trees and discovered “High in the crown of both trees were 2 bat boxes in seemingly good condition and look as though they’ve been there for some time. Also there seems to be staining at the entrance points which should indicate active use.” Hopefully we will get positive evidence for their use by bats soon, which would stop any work on the trees. Photos
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hBm8ptf9CPSAUKFJ6

Short Notice: We have been offered a meeting with Council Officers at the bridge on Tuesday 8th October 2019 at 10 am. It's the nearest thing to an open public consultation so far. Please come along if you can. If you have questions you'd like asked, email them to [email protected].
Hope to see some of you then!
Pennie

Things have now reached a critical stage and we need your help again. Thanks to your fantastic support so far there is a temporary delay in felling the trees. We fear that this process is near its end, and that the trees are again in imminent danger of being cut down. The Council has still not provided any evidence to support its abandonment of the low impact, best value rebuild recommended by its structural assessment.
Please email Rebecca Lury, [email protected] Southwark Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment to request two things:
· that the Council commissions a second structural assessment and recommendations on the Cox’s Walk Footbridge from a specialist conservation accredited structural engineer.
· That the Council holds an open meeting to consult the public on its plans for the bridge and the oak trees as soon as possible.
Many thanks for your continued support.

The Council has turned down our application for the Tree Preservation Orders, insisting that it still needs to take them down for access. But we have now seen that the repairs they are proposing are far more drastic than those recommended in the engineer's report. Instead of rebuilding the walls with some reinforcement, onto the existing foundations, as recommended, they are planning to dig out the whole foundations start again! Why would they want to add so much expense and disruption to the repair work? It is also highly likely that the trees could be spared if they only had the original repairs to carry out.

The Dulwich Diverter is running a story on the Campaign in its next edition. It would be great if any of you could come to the bridge tomorrow, Sunday 24th August at 11 am for a group photo for them.

Thank you all for your support so far, it's been fantastic and shows how much people appreciate these great trees and all they do for us.
Local Councillor Andy Simmons has talked to Council officers about saving the trees, but so far they are adamant that the trees have to go as they obstruct the repair work. Many issues remain unanswered.
We have now gone to the next stage and written to the Southwark Director of Planning with details of the issues we are raising, and asking for Tree Preservation Orders whilst these serious concerns are investigated. We included a paper petition of over 200 signatures collected on the footbridge and a link to this online petition. The letter was copied Southwark Council Chief Executive, Eleanor Kelly, Helen Hayes MP, councillors Andy Simmons and Catherine Rose, London Wildlife Trust, the Dulwich Society, the Dulwich Estate and the Sydenham Hill Ridge Neighbourhood Forum, so I hope we will begin to see a more public debate soon.