'I'm not budging': bypass tree battle rages on

Herefordshire Council has vowed to press on with a £45m bypass - despite a stand-off with a grandmother who is refusing to sell her land due to a row over a tree.

Jean Harris does not want to sell a portion of her back garden for the Hereford bypass, calling it "sacrilege" to lose a 500-year-old oak tree.

The council has told the BBC it is "confident" work can start on the new road anyway, and it hopes to still acquire the land through negotiation.

"I'm refusing to negotiate - it's a lovely tree and I would hate it to go," said Harris.

The council intends to start work on phase one of the bypass by the end of this year, with a contractor already in place.

Harris, who lives near Allensmore, said the tree is a local landmark which can be seen from the roads nearby.

"I don't want the intrusion in my home - my husband is recently deceased and I've always said that in his memory I will keep fighting this," she said.

"The council has been writing to me, but I'm not responding any more. They've even offered to buy the whole property, but it's a 'no' from me.

"It's a massive tree, you can see it from all angles from the roads outside. It's lovely and it's been here [for] hundreds of years - why should they come and remove it?"

The council said "most landowners" along the route had already agreed to sell their land or were close to doing so.

It also said it remained "confident" that enough land would be under its control for work to start later this year.

A spokesperson added: "In one case, discussions were paused by agreement to allow the landowner additional time - and we remain committed to working constructively to reach a voluntary agreement.

"Alongside these discussions, the council has begun the compulsory purchase process where required.

"This is a normal part of delivering major infrastructure projects and ensures the land needed for the scheme can be secured if voluntary agreements cannot be reached.

"Beginning this process now helps keep the project on schedule while negotiations continue."

Council bosses have claimed congestion will drop as much as 20% during peak periods once the first phase of the bypass gets built.

It has been criticised by some residents and environmental groups, who are concerned by the estimated costs and the impact on wildlife.

Under the project, land will become available for 150 hectares of employment space - room for about 10,000 jobs - and 14,000 new homes are expected to be built.

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