Please find our full response to your recent petition in respect of two Tombland trees below.

While the Transforming Cities Fund was certainly established pre-covid, encouraging walking, cycling and modal shift is a key aim of the government’s strategy in terms of the fund and all proposals submitted for potential funding are fully assessed by the Department for Transport based on these measures. The Tombland scheme has demonstrated high value for money in terms of delivering on these aims, which has led to the government’s approval of funds for the scheme to proceed to construction.

Of the 22 existing trees in Tombland, we are only removing 2 trees and replacing these with 5 new ones.  The removal of the two trees in question is deemed necessary for the project to proceed. To not remove them would have significant time and cost implications to the overall delivery of the project, requiring a full redesign of the scheme and potentially put the acquired Government funding at risk as it may no longer be possible to deliver within the agreed timescales, not to mention the continued disruption to Norwich residents.

Just to reiterate, there are 22 trees in Tombland of which 20 are being retained, we are removing 2 and planting an additional 5.

The trees being removed are towards the back of the site, which leaves the large and dominant existing trees at the front of the site as they currently are, as shown in the artist impression for the scheme.

The Norwich City Council Conservation Area Appraisals were used to inform the development of the Tombland scheme and provide adequate baseline information on townscape for this part of the city centre. The design team considered this baseline information alongside other survey and empirical information in their appraisal of Tombland.

Views and vistas were a key consideration in the appraisal and design process.

We recognise that the tree planting in Tombland is of value, which is why we have sought this opportunity to diversify and increase planting, to ensure that tree cover in Tombland is secured for future generations and responds to the reconfigured uses in the space.

Replacement tree planting is to be of a minimum heavy standard size classification, these trees are much larger than saplings and will have an immediate presence in the streetscene. These trees will increase the resilience of the overall Tombland tree planting in our changing climate, with increasing pressures from pests and diseases, and will increase biodiversity.

Trees will be maintained in line with the Norfolk County Council Tree Safety Management Policy and any works to the trees will be carried out in line with industry best practice. Formative pruning will be undertaken as the trees grow to ensure canopies are raised to a suitable height and to encourage good form i.e. removing crossing branches which if left could compromise tree health or public safety in the future.

Pollution tolerance and mitigation was considered in the selection of tree species.

As a part of the scheme, we will also be improving rooting conditions for the retained existing trees by installing a permeable surface below them and addressing the treatment around the base of the stems to allow unimpeded future growth.

The walkway in front of the restaurants has been designed with a separation between doorways and the main footway to prevent direct conflict between those entering and exiting buildings and those using the footway. The nature of the space, with public seating and activity, will discourage inappropriate use of cycles in this area. This area will function in the same way other pavement cafés do within Norwich and other UK cities.

The scheme currently under construction was subject to public consultation in February 2019, and after some amendments and further survey work in response to the public consultation, was approved for delivery in August 2019 by the Transforming Cities Fund Joint Committee.

The Tombland scheme has followed the correct democratic process. The consultation materials and the final signed off proposals clearly included the proposed tree removal and replacement on the plans.

A full justification and further information to concerned residents regarding the trees has been provided in the FAQ document on the following council webpage www.norfolk.gov.uk/tombland

Norwich City Council planning services have deemed the works reasonable and have raised no objections to the tree works outlined in the recent notice given in accordance with Section 211 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 [as amended].

All relevant processes have therefore been followed and so for the reasons stated above, this work will progress, and we are sorry to inform you that your petition has been rejected on this basis.