Trees Cut Down at Swansea Retail Park Cause Outrage Among Shoppers

A ROW of trees apparently frequented by a pet owl have been cut down at a retail park in Swansea because of “visibility” issues, its new owners have said.
The felling has caused consternation among some shoppers at Parc Fforestfach, Fforestfach, with a worker at one of the units saying customers were complaining.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service counted 11 tree stumps between Poundland and the Card Factory, and a number of other spots where the ground looked like it had been disturbed. Images from Google Maps suggest there used to be a line of just over 25 trees between the shopfronts and adjacent car park.
One shop worker claimed the work was done one Saturday evening a few weeks ago as she remembered seeing them when she left work on the Saturday and that they weren’t there when she returned on the Sunday morning.
A spokeswoman for Parc Fforestfach owners, investment and property management company LCP – part of another company called M Core – said: “Following feedback from tenants regarding visibility issues we have removed a small number of trees at M Parc Fforestfach.”
She added: “As part of our long-term plans having recently acquired the retail park, we are planning to enhance the landscaping with additional planting of wild shrubs and trees across the scheme.”
The company didn’t comment further when asked if it had considered trimming rather then cutting down the existing trees if visibility was an issue. The row of retailers includes Home Bargains, Boots, Costa Coffee, Next, Barnado’s, Aldi and Intersport, and they sit next to a Tesco Extra.
One worker said: “All the customers have complained that the trees have gone. Everybody is saying it’s disgusting.” Outdoor bins, she claimed, had also been removed. But she welcomed replacement planting proposals, adding that “sooner rather than later” would be good.
Swansea Council said the trees weren’t protected and that as such as it was a private matter and nothing to do with the authority.
Ralph Harris and his wife Maria, of Pontlliw, who shop at Parc Fforestfach twice a week, said they were upset when they saw the trees had gone. “A guy used to come here with a pet owl,” said Mr Harris. “The owl would sit in one of the trees and everyone would come and talk to the owner. It was fascinating for people.” Mrs Harris said trees made the retail park more picturesque and that, in her view, visibility issues didn’t seem a particularly good reason to remove them.
Cockett councillor Oliver James criticised the tree chopping on Facebook, and many people responded to his post. One of them, Susan Jones, wrote: “So very sad. Those trees were always full of little birds chirping in the evening. A real joy.” And Paul Chilcott added: “I don’t understand why they have done this, they have also removed all the bins as well if I remember rightly.”
Cllr James said the day he noticed that the trees had gone was sunny, and that trees provided shade and shelter. “I thought it was a shame as all trees are worth keeping,” he said. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​