MIX-UP OVER FELLED CHERISHED TREE IN KEW
Residents on a tree-lined street in Kew are “devastated” after a much-loved cherry tree was “removed in error”.
Premier Tree Care & Conservation cut down the tree outside Number 23 and 25 Priory Road in Kew, Richmond, instead of one on a street with the same name in Ealing by mistake.
It was the wrong tree in the wrong street in the wrong borough.
Neighbours said they tried to challenge the contractors before they felled the “healthy, mature and very beautiful” cherry tree, but it happened in “minutes”.
Premier Tree Care & Conservation shared its “deepest regret” over what they described as a case of “human error” and said it would replace the tree “right away with a similar cherry tree”.
Alison Murphy, who lives nearby, said she tried to stop the felling of the tree – which she said the contractors claimed was diseased.
She asked to see some evidence from the council and was shown a letter from Ealing Council on the workers’ mobile phone which showed they should have been in Ealing not Richmond.
“I wish I’d realised that they were in the wrong borough, in the wrong road, cutting down the wrong tree,” Ms Murphy said.
“Another neighbour came out and sort of reiterated that we weren’t in Ealing and he was in the wrong place.
“It happened really fast. It was a matter of minutes.”
A spokesperson for Premier Tree Care & Conservation confirmed the tree was “sadly removed in error”.
A Richmond Council spokesperson said the felling was not authorised by them and it would be “discussing this situation with Ealing Council and the contractor to prevent this from happening again”.
“The tree planting season has just started, so we will be removing the tree stump left behind, repairing the tree pit, and then replacing the tree in the current planting season,” they said.
“We will be seeking to recover the costs from the contractor.”
An Ealing Council spokesperson told Teddington Town: “On Monday 1 December, our contractor Premier Tree Care (PTC) attended Priory Road, Kew, instead of the intended address (with the same road name) and one medium cherry tree was sadly removed in error.
“The situation began when the PTC team searched Google maps for 23 Priory Road, they followed the map to an address 8 minutes from their previous location, they found number 23 and a cherry tree outside. Regrettably, they didn’t do any other checks.
“The Directors at PTC have reviewed their processes in the past 24 hours and they have put in place several more checks that must be followed in future. This regrettable situation is the result of human error.
“It is with deep regret we can confirm the wrong tree was felled on Monday 1 December. We take this incident very seriously, however, this was a case of human error and our contractors have worked quickly to make things right.
“Since the incident, our contractors have apologised to the residents of Priory Road and they have offered to resolve the situation with replacement planting. The incident was reported by the contractors to Richmond Council and they will be liaising with them on the best course of action.
“We understand the strength of feeling from the residents and we are taking actions to ensure the matter is resolved swiftly and smoothly.
“Ealing Tree Service has a very good relationship with the team at Richmond Council and we will work together to ensure this is resolved as soon possible.”
