THE COUNCIL has protected  ‘important’ trees in a Buckinghamshire town after concern for their safety.

Buckinghamshire Council has stepped in to protect trees in Old Amersham recreation ground.

The move comes after concern they could be damaged during the redevelopment of The Maltings site on School Lane.

Eight protected walnut trees and a hornbeam line up by the Barn Meadow Recreation Ground and The Maltings, a potential site for proposed 45 new homes and car parking.  

The developers’ plans for the historical former brewery site have been met with objections and concern by neighbours and groups in Amersham, including The Amersham Society.

Now Buckinghamshire Council has decided to protect the trees from being cut down with a Tree Preservation Order on February 17.

A letter from the Council to neighbours of the site said: “The Council has made the Order because the eight walnut trees and the hornbeam are important amenity trees in prominent positions that make a significant contribution to the character of the area. They may now be at risk in connection with a proposal for the re-development of The Maltings side.”

The Order prohibits anyone from “cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting, wilfully damaging or wilfully destroying” any of the eight protected trees.

The Amersham Society joined a string of concerns about The Maltings redevelopment plans in a public letter in December last year.

Despite the applicant’s efforts to consult the Society at several points, three concerns remained “unsurmounted,” The Amersham Society chair Edward Copisarow said.

These are vehicular access on “narrow” School Lane, inadequate number of proposed parking, and flooding.

Mr Copisarow said: “We remain very concerned about the increased risk of flooding. Much of the outdoor space will be hard landscaped for parking allowing no floodwater from the Misbourne to soak away.

“If consent is granted to this application it should be conditional upon suitable pumping apparatus being installed to ensure extreme weather events have no greater impact on the surrounding area than at present.”