Campaigners ready to be chained to at-risk trees

Campaigners said they are prepared to chain themselves to a mosque's trees in a bid to stop them being chopped down.

The Jamia Masjid Sultania and Education Centre in Sneinton, Nottingham, has put in an application to cut down six protected trees outside its building.

Nadim Khan, the chairman, said the roots were pushing up the paving outside the entrance, making it unsafe and threatening the structure, with an elderly woman injuring herself tripping over the uneven surface.

But campaigners said the trees were themselves important for the environment and local health, and they did not believe chopping them down was necessary.

Kerry Warwick has set up a petition against the felling because she wants to make as many people aware of the plans as possible.

It has been signed by more than 400 people so far.

"Those trees have been there all my life. The wildlife, the colours of the trees, I just love them," she said.

"I would chain myself to them. If it gets to the point where I have to stand there and stop the trees being cut down, I will do."

Warwick said the trees had been in place when an extension was added to the mosque and therefore should have been planned around.

She said recent hot weather had helped highlight the importance of trees for air quality and heat in an area with limited green space.

"It's so built up round here, we need those trees," she said. "Take them away and what have you got? Brick, brick, brick.

"For health reasons... they make you feel better. We're inner city here, we need the trees to combat the heatwave.

"So I'm determined - we're keeping the trees."

A tree protection order is in place for these trees, meaning permission must be sought from the local authority before they can be removed.

The application, submitted to Nottingham City Council in early May, said the plan was to remove the trees to "facilitate permanent repairs to pedestrian access".

It also said there would be no replacement planting – but Khan told the BBC they would be willing to replant trees "where the council wishes", including in the same spot again if needed.

The 62-year-old said they had previously tried to repair the surface but the problems had returned.

He said an elderly woman had tripped over the raised paving and broken her arm in December, and with lots of children and elderly people visiting, and after taking advice from a tree surgeon they had been left with no choice but to remove them.

"It wasn't an easy decision," said Khan, who was born in Sneinton and said he had known the trees his whole life.

"We appreciate the trees, it's wonderful for our mosque but unfortunately due to health and safety we've had to rethink our strategy.

"The roots are coming so close to our building.

"The insurers are not very happy – they've said if we're not careful they'll go under the building, which will cause damage to the structure.

"Already it's lifted the slabs, which is a big health and safety issue. It's very dangerous.

"It's not a two-minute decision, this has been going on for a year, thinking what can we do not only for the nature of the area but also the health and safety of the congregation that come to our mosque.

"Sadly, the health and safety has to come first, it has to be our priority because we do not want anyone here getting hurt."

The application is now set to be decided on by the city council, which the BBC has approached for comment.

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