Shoebury Cantel Medical homes site tree felling starting

Residents have repeatedly campaigned for the 62 “mature trees” on the former Cantel Medical site, in Campfield Road, Shoebury to be saved.

However, photos from the site this week show workers starting to fell the hawthorn and maple trees – leaving campaigners devastated.

Protesters have raised concerns about the loss of the site’s biodiversity due to the tree felling, with fears that birds and bats could lose their habitat.

Taylor Wimpy, the developer behind the plans, confirmed the tree felling – approved by Southend Council – has begun.

Tim Fransen, protestor and Shoebury resident, said: “We are disgusted and let down, residents have been ignored and the only people profiting from it are Taylor Wimpey.

“They have come in and are committing an act of environmental vandalism. All we can do is expose their actions.”

Leigh Green councillor, Richard Longstaff, echoed the concerns and called the felling of the trees “a travesty”.

He said: “We should be creating biodiversity, Taylor Wimpey should have to provide net gain and yet they are ripping it out of the site, planting saplings with non-indigenous plants that are not biodiverse.

“It is a travesty. We cannot replace the trees on the site, and it will take decades to re-establish, that is why people are up in arms and once these trees go, they are gone forever. 

“You can’t build back trees, we can rebuild cities, but not trees.”

A Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said: “We have begun the approved tree-felling at our Campfield Road site as part of our work to prepare the site for the development of new homes.

“We understand that some members of the community have concerns about our work and have erected a noticeboard to keep residents informed about the works scheduled to take place on site.

“The land is now an active construction site, and we would request that members of the public do not attempt to access the site or disrupt the work that is underway.”