Landscape Committee - TrustNews Summer 1994
We have continued to look at the weekly list of planning applications which refer to trees and new schemes involving landscaping and have visited the sites. We are also in touch with the City Departments and attend the Town Centre Management Group. We had a meeting with the City Engineer and agreed on new seats for the High Street. It is an opportunity, when all the street furniture has to be removed for Le Tour on July 7, to replace some of the older items. The design chosen is part of a range of street furniture which can be supplied to match, such as litter bins, benches, tree grids and could provide a coordinated set and be implemented as and when finances permit. Unfortunately the paving surface in the precinct is being `roughened' to be less slippery for the cyclists (but at last pedestrians will benefit too) and not replaced with a more appropriate material but we hope this will happen before too long.
Planning applications recently commented on include: Winton House, Andover Road, which is a non-residential institution owned by HCC where 80 more car parking spaces are to replace pleasant lawns and garden. North Walls Police Station applied to build a low wall on the road frontage and to include 'salvaged broken dressed stone' in the flint wall. We suggested the wall be similar to the nearby brick wall at Durngate bridge. We suggested some tree planting at Stanmore Youth Centre extension to improve the derelict area at the approach to the building. We objected to the felling of a large silver birch in Ranelagh Road which has been refused but the sloping area in front of the house is to be turned into a space to park a car. We are particularly concerned about small front gardens being replaced by hard surfaces for cars as the delight of so much of Winchester's residential areas are the planted front gardens providing a break from pavement and traffic.
The new application for Culver Lodge for two houses in the garden is an improvement on the first scheme, but we are concerned about the very fine magnolia kobus. We are liaising with the Architect to see if adjustments can be made to safeguard this tree.
At St Thomas' Centre, Southgate Street (previously the Record Office) the application was to pollard three lime trees which provide a good green canopy and we feel such drastic pruning should not be undertaken until the newly-planted plane trees are larger, as the green impact here is much needed. We objected to the scheme put forward for landscaping (or lack of) for the new Registrar's Office in the former South Western Inn and suggested that parking could be shared with the Records Office large gravel space, up to now unused as far as we can see. This would release the area shown for car parking to create a pleasant garden for the use of those coming to the Registrar's office. We disliked the continuation of the small paving slabs, as those round the Records Office, which would make a very sterile area. In addition we considered the building should have a 'friendlier' and more inviting setting both for those using the office and by people arriving in Winchester by train. We objected to the application to fell one of three silver maple trees planted to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the Queen's accession to the throne outside the Queen Elizabeth II Court. We consider that insufficient thought and co-ordination in planning has been given to this whole frontage. Decisions of lighting, paving, grass, planting of an oak (for it's acorns to feed the Hampshire Hog?) and now the removal of a tree, appear to be taken in an ad hoc way.
We intend to complete the tree survey of the inner City area this summer. It has taken considerable time but emphasises the variety of interesting trees that have been planted in the past. We are very keen to see tree planting continue and our scheme for Friarsgate/Eastgate Street was disappointing as the tree pits had not been prepared prior to planting, in spite of advance planning. We have been assured that the scheme will be completed this Autumn and a meeting has been arranged early in August with the relevant City departments to decide on tree planting sites and varieties of trees for the 1994/95 planting season. The Trust is contributing £1000 towards the costs but we have to get the practicalities of planting, especially in paved areas, greatly improved. Trying to get trees planted in pavements or other hard surfaces brings up every kind of difficulty as we have already seen in our endeavours in Friarsgate. We will continue our efforts as trees contribute such an important part to the City scene.
Stop press from Landscape Committee report:
Without further consultation, the silver maple tree was felled at dawn one recent Saturday morning.