Plans approved to cut down 'iconic' trees in Dorchester

The horse chestnut trees are located next to Coffee #1 at the lower end of South Street.

It comes as it's revealed by the council that the Walks network in Dorchester is going to lose a 'significant number of its conker trees' in future years due to an infection called Bleeding Canker.

Regarding the two horse chestnut trees which are due to be felled, a councillor said it was 'a very hard decision' to take but the authority is being forced to remove them because of their 'poor structural condition'.

The news has been met with sadness by Dorchester resident Jonathan Roberts, who is concerned that what is being proposed to replace them is not 'like-for-like'.

The town council applied to Dorset Council on December 9 to fell the trees, which raised no objection to its request.

An inspection from council officer Andrew Douglas followed, who noted the trees 'will only further deteriorate' if left and also stand above a disused underground toilet.

The plan is to replace the trees with four new saplings.

The trees at full bloom in the summer months (Image: Google Maps)

But Mr Roberts, who lives in Rothesay Road, said: "They are enormous and so iconic in Dorchester.

"If they are that diseased then I can understand, but the plan from the town council was to put (replacement) trees in containers.

"They are not going to be proper avenue trees and completely wipes out the link on the Walks. You need to put something proper in place.

"If you don't have trees you don't have oxygen. And that is far bigger a health and safety issue than a branch that might fall.

"I suspect it will make that area far more concrete if you keep losing trees in this way. Dorchester is famous for them."

Works to fell the trees will involve the closure of the adjacent highway and footways.

A Dorset Council spokesman said the town council did consider removing weak branches back to the trunks - but this was said to be a 'temporary solution'.

"Given the poor health and lack of longevity of the trees, serving a Tree Preservation Order on them would not have been appropriate," the spokesman added.

Dorchester is well known for its trees but many may need to be cut down as they are diseased (Image: Nick Kershaw)

Cllr Fiona Kent-Ledger, from Dorchester Town Council, added: "We are concerned that as a result of Bleeding Canker infection in horse chestnuts the Walks network is going to lose a significant number of its conker trees in the future.

"This is a very hard decision to take but public safety has to come first. We need to start to action replacement planting so the character of the town is maintained.

"By replanting now in a prompt way we can hopefully avoid losing too many trees in a short period of time.

"We will of course be replanting the area; it is a very big priority for us. We intend to replant with three large container grown multi-stemmed white barked Birch trees and a Liquidambar tree.

"Being grown in containers will give them as good a possible start as we can. The trees will all be at least 2.5m high.

"We will dig holes to see what can be achieved before replacement stock is purchased and if we can get bigger planting holes, we will secure bigger trees."