‘UP in arms’ – Dunchurch residents have slammed the mistaken partial felling of a tree on the village green.
A Swedish Whitebeam tree was wrongly pollarded by contractors last week while removing a diseased Red Oak in the same location.
The error occurred because the contractor undertaking the works on behalf of Dunchurch Parish Council (DPC) misread a worksheet.
A Dunchurch resident who contacted The Observer said it was a ‘travesty’.
They added: “There is so much tree and hedge removal going on in our area that everyone is up in arms. The devastation is a disgrace.”
Another resident commented on social media: “Whitebeam doesn’t really tolerate pollarding. It also looks to be in quite a bad way from the state of the wood and branches that were cut off it.”
A third simply added: “Those trees were so beautiful… very sad.”
A DPC spokesperson said the contractor, Beechwood Trees and Landscapes, had accepted full responsibility, was conducting an internal investigation, and was in discussions with DPC over potential remedies.
They added: “Permission was granted by Rugby Borough Council (RBC) to remove a Red Oak tree following the identification of Meripilus giganteus, a fungal infection that compromises tree stability.
“The decision to fell the tree was made in the interest of public safety, as the fungus severely weakens trees by attacking their root systems, increasing the risk of unexpected collapse.
“Unfortunately, due to an error, the contractor mistakenly pollarded a Swedish Whitebeam which was not scheduled for work.
“While the Whitebeam had been previously assessed in October 2024 and found to have signs of decay, the Parish Council had opted to monitor it rather than take immediate action.”
They said no decision would be made regarding a replacement until consultation with an Arboricultural Officer from RBC had taken place.
They added: “We understand the loss of trees in a conservation area is always of concern to residents, and we remain committed to ensuring appropriate measures are taken to mitigate this loss. The Parish Council will provide further updates to residents once discussions with RBC have concluded.”
An RBC spokesperson added: “We believe this error to be a mistake and not malicious.
“We are meeting on site for the operator to explain what happened in full, and also to set out our expectations for replacement trees.”
A spokesperson for contractor Beechwood Trees and Landscapes said it would not be appropriate to comment until its investigation had concluded and talks with the councils had taken place.
