Latest news with #Haringey
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
Campaigners fight to save 120-year-old tree from ‘irrational' local council
Campaigners are fighting to save a 120-year-old London Plane tree which the local council is threatening to bring down after a lengthy legal battle. Haringey Council in North London has said the tree on Oakfield Road, Stroud Green, must be removed because it has caused damage to properties nearby. A notification on the felling from the council said 'the tree has contributed to tree root damage to the adjacent properties. Pruning was unsuccessful, and movement of the properties has continued'. Residents now have until 17 June to respond to the notice. Annette Elder, solicitor and member of Haringey Tree Protectors, said the decision from the council was 'completely irrational'. 'Mature trees like the Oakfield plane are vital in urban areas—for cooling, biodiversity, air quality, and residents' wellbeing,' she told The Independent. 'It makes no sense to remove them without robust evidence that they are causing active harm.' The council said the trees have caused subsidence in nearby properties. Subsidence occurs when the foundations of a home become unbalanced due to the ground sinking. This can move walls and floors from their original groundwork and cause severe damage. Trees can cause subsidence when its roots grow into clay soil and take up enough moisture, which causes the soil to dry out and shrink. Ms Elder told The Independent claimed that the owners of the two houses affected by the subsidence have reached agreements with their insurance companies to pay for repairs on the house, so there was no need to fell the trees. 'There's no clear evidence that the tree poses a real or immediate threat—especially once underpinning takes place,' Ms Elder added. 'Even Haringey's own Tree and Woodland Plan states that trees should not be removed or pruned solely because of a potential or perceived future subsidence risk. 'We believe this is a completely irrational decision. 'If you follow this logic, almost every street tree in the area could be considered a risk. Are we going to fell them all?' Ms Elder said there are reportedly around 200 active insurance claims in the borough relating to potential tree-related subsidence. 'Subsidence is a wider issue—climate change, increased heat, and flooding all contribute to greater soil movement, particularly in clay areas,' she said. 'It's precisely because of climate change that councils, including Haringey, have pledged to increase canopy cover.' A Haringey Council spokesperson said: 'We are currently consulting on a proposal to remove the tree. 'The court ruled in 2024 that a previous decision by the council to remove the tree was lawful and has refused permission to bring an appeal against this. We are undertaking a further consultation in view of new statutory requirements that have come into force since that decision. 'Our proposal is based on consideration of the evidence submitted on behalf of the owners of the properties. 'We will carefully consider all the feedback we receive, including any new information or changes of circumstances, before coming to a final decision on the future of the tree.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Stroud Green plane tree faces axe again over root damage claims
A 120-year-old plane tree in north London, which has been under threat of being felled for the past three years, is once again facing the axe. Haringey Council says the tree on Oakfield Road, Stroud Green, needs to be removed as it is causing damage to nearby properties. The council has given residents until 17 June to respond to its Gio Iozzi, who is among those fighting to save it, said: "It feels like the tree is still the fall guy in this situation and it is just morally, ethically, environmentally wrong.""This healthy tree has been implicated in damage... it has been blamed for all the other factors that contribute to subsidence in houses," she added. She told BBC London that insurers had recently agreed to finally pay for the work on the two houses affected by subsidence, meaning there was "no need to fell this tree".Dr Iozzi added: "There is no rationale now for the council to want to fell the tree and yet they're intending to push forwards with felling this tree."We feel like this is madness, we need these big canopy trees they are so important for our health, our lungs." In its consultation, the council said the tree had "contributed to tree root damage to the adjacent properties, pruning was unsuccessful, and movement of the properties has continued".But environmental campaign group Haringey Tree Protectors told the Local Democracy Reporting Service these claims were unsubstantiated. It has urged people to send in their views so the council can "understand how the public feel about protecting their mature street trees".Dr Iozzi said poor foundations, clay soil movement, droughts or floods could also be contributing to issues with the homes' foundations and she believed there was not enough evidence to support the tree's removal."Trees should not be felled just in case there is the potential of damage to houses in the future," she said."If this logic is followed, all trees in Haringey would need to be felled just in case." Local resident Andrew Brenner, who lives opposite the tree, told BBC London: "If you take down a tree on the off-chance that it's going to cause a problem in the future, that could lead to every single tree on every tree-lined street in London being taken out."I think it's a real risk that we're going to lose lots of trees for no reason except that it's to prevent some future possible problem."A Haringey Council spokesperson said it was undertaking the latest consultation in view of new statutory requirements that had come into force."Our proposal is based on consideration of the evidence submitted on behalf of the owners of the properties," the spokesperson said the council would consider all feedback before making a final decision.
The Guardian
28-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Denise Tunstall obituary
My friend Denise Tunstall, who has died aged 92, was a teacher, a union rep and a passionate and active socialist. As president of Haringey Teachers' Association (HTA) in London for an unprecedented three terms, she helped countless teachers in difficulty, representing them in hearings and giving them the benefit of her expertise. She was a delegate to many National Union of Teachers (NUT) conferences, where she displayed a healthy contempt for the executive, usually sitting at the front with a knitting group, as if in front of the guillotine. Born in Tottenham, north London, to Grace (nee Bannister), a factory worker and dinner lady, and William Fulker, a roofer, Denise was evacuated during the second world war to her father's native Wales with her younger brother, David. She completed her education at Tottenham grammar school and earned a university place, but after meeting Neil Hulson, an English lecturer, instead got married. They set up home in Palmers Green and had a daughter, Margaret, and a son, Jim. Neil died in 1964, and three years later Denise married Julian Tunstall, a solicitor she had met at the Young Communist League, with whom she had a son, Bud. Denise had trained as a teacher in 1957, and began working at Muswell Hill primary school as well as volunteering with the Woodcraft Folk. She went on to teach at St Aidan's primary in Haringey, and became more active in the NUT and the HTA. She was elected HTA vice-president in 1982 and president the following year, after which she became assistant secretary, then deputy secretary, a role she fulfilled for seven years (1985-92). She took on nearly all of the casework for primary schools, and became responsible for the Haringey branch of the Teachers' Benevolent Fund. She was the union nominee on the panel hearing pupil suspension appeals, and the teacher rep on Haringey education committee. In 1992 Denise was appointed office manager at the NUT London East office. Following 'retirement', she became chair of governors of Alexandra Park school and was also involved in running Haringey Young Musicians. She was so skilled at chairing meetings that in 1999 and 2002 she was re-elected president of HTA. An excellent cook who loved entertaining her many friends, Denise was loyal, generous and fun. In her later years, she enjoyed travelling, visiting Scotland and further-flung places such as Peru and the Galapagos islands, Egypt and Norway as well as many of the islands around the UK. Julian died in 1993 and Bud in 2017. Denise is survived by Margaret and Jim, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Tottenham reveal trophy parade plans
Tottenham have announced plans for a trophy parade to celebrate their Europa League have confirmed the parade, external will take place on Friday, 23 May and is expected to depart Edmonton Green at approximately 17:30 BST and last for approximately 60-90 minutes before finishing in the stadium's service yard on Northumberland Park.A staging area will also be erected above the High Road outside the stadium on Paxton Terrace to receive the players and coaching staff for a presentation of the trophy to fans gathered shortly after the conclusion of the bus parade. Entertainment will begin there from from 15:00 club said: "The time and date have been agreed following close consultation between the club, its football operations, Haringey and Enfield councils, emergency services and transport partners, to ensure the delivery of a safe and enjoyable event for all."
Telegraph
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Manchester United plan Europa League BBQ instead of bus parade
Europa League finalists Manchester United would celebrate winning the trophy with a low-key barbecue, while opponents Tottenham Hotspur are planning for an open-top bus parade. The final in Bilbao on May 21 comes just four days before the end of the Premier League season, after which United fly to Malaysia and Hong Kong for a post-season tour. The tight turnaround means United will not hold a parade, in keeping with their last Europa League win in 2017 when there were no open-top bus celebrations. United, in the event of victory at Estadio de San Mamés, would hold the gathering at their Carrington training ground for players, staff and their families. It is understood that Spurs would hold a parade through the areas around Tottenham in the borough of Haringey if they win a first trophy since Juande Ramos led them to victory in the League Cup 17 years ago. Liverpool are planning a parade to mark their Premier League title, while Newcastle's celebrations for their League Cup triumph, a first domestic trophy in 70 years, was likened to a 'Geordie Glastonbury'. United have a tight end-of-season schedule, with the clash against Villa on May 25 important in terms of Premier League merit payments for final positions, while also attempting to avoid 17th place and the distinction of the worst club not to be relegated this season. They then fly to Kuala Lumpur for a match on May 28 before another game in Hong Kong on May 30, with some players then reporting for international duty. United's last open-top bus parade was in 2013 to mark the club's 20th Premier League title and Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement, with 100,000 people estimated to have lined the streets to celebrate their success. It has emerged that United staff will not be given free tickets to the Europa final, although a viewing party is being hosted in Manchester city centre. The ticket allocation for fans is less than 15,000, while players only get two free tickets.
