Plans by the parks department at Dublin City Council to fell trees on a street in Portobello are being strongly opposed by local residents, who have commissioned an independent arborist to report on their condition.
The parks department maintains that the Norway Maple trees – which it planted on Lennox Street more than 20 years ago – “tend to have structural weakness [and] substantial shallow roots which can cause structural damage to footpaths”.
Residents have been conducting a campaign to stop the “needless felling of mature trees in the heart of historic Portobello”, using Facebook and other social media. Red ribbons have been tied to trees earmarked for felling.
“The council has cited ‘potential damage to underground basements’ as the main reason for felling,” a spokeswoman for the residents said.
However, no structural survey has been carried out; instead, residents have been asked to indicate if damage has occurred.
A council spokesman said no decision had yet been made about the fate of trees and other greenery along nearby Windsor Terrace, which could be threatened by an extension of the Grand Canal cycleway, as its route “hasn’t been finalised yet”.
