Will you stand by whilst an avenue of 90-year-old Blue Atlas Cedars are felled in Horsham just to squeeze in a few more houses?

 

This grand avenue of trees lines the drive on the former Novartis site bordering Wimblehurst and Parsonage Roads and adjoining a conservation area (Planning Application ref: DC/25/0629).

 

Please sign our petition to urge the Horsham District Council to stop the needless destruction of healthy Blue Atlas Cedars that help fight pollution and provide vital habitat for wildlife.

 

This isn’t about stopping housing, this is about preserving mature trees already on site and building new houses around them for the benefit of residents and the environment.

 

These trees may have been out of sight and out of mind for the last few years, hidden behind boards and high fencing, but they should be protected. And not just for their aesthetic appeal.

 

They have Tree Preservation Orders, are listed as Heritage Assets by the Council and are recorded on the Woodland Trust’s Ancient Tree Inventory.

 

Chopping down these trees will:

 

1. Increase noise pollution 

·      Urban trees act as sound barriers, reducing noise levels and reflections by several decibels for every 30-metre width of greenery.

·      Natural sounds from vegetation, like rustling leaves and the sounds of wildlife, can mask more intrusive noises, creating a more pleasant soundscape.

2. Increase air pollution 

·      Trees absorb various air pollutants including gases like nitrogen dioxide from traffic.

·      They also act as a barrier to reduce the spread of pollutants from roads and industrial areas

3. Reduce carbon sequestration

·      Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in their biomass (roots, trunks, branches and leaves). 

·      Cutting down trees releases carbon.

4. Increase Urban Heat Island Effect

·      Trees can reduce urban heat by 2-8 degrees Celsius through canopy shade and the cooling effects of air movement as trees transpire. 

·      Shade from trees can reduce the temperature of manmade surfaces such as pavements, roads and brick walls by 12 degrees (Trees for Cities).

5. Destroy crucial wildlife habitat

A variety of important species including bats, tawny owls and peregrine falcons, that have bred on the site, will be dependent on the trees to roost, nest, feed and rest. 

6. Reduce Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)

The legal requirement for new developments is to have a 10% gain in biodiversity but the BNG calculations under the current plans with the trees felled shows the site will have a 71% loss of onsite biodiversity. Keeping the cedars will improve BNG.

7. Increase water consumption and maintenance

New trees need a lot of care to become established whereas the mature Blue Atlas Cedars are drought-tolerant and require minimal maintenance. Although not native, they are recognised as an increasingly suitable species for our warming climate.

 

We are in a climate and biodiversity crisis.  Preserving the Blue Atlas Cedars that grace this site is a no-brainer. These trees are irreplaceable and not only add to the beauty of North Horsham but also play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance. Within the new development, they will contribute to people's well-being and function as a wildlife corridor. They are our best chance to help mitigate the negative impacts of large-scale urban development, fight climate change and provide an enhanced environment for residents and wildlife in the area.

We, the residents of Horsham and visitors to our town, treasure our local wildlife and tranquillity of our green spaces. We understand the need for housing but believe a site as large as this can accommodate the Blue Atlas Cedars with all the environmental benefits they bring. 

 

We passionately and respectfully urge Horsham District Council to reconsider the felling of these precious trees. We believe the HDC has a fantastic opportunity to make nature part of the development's story by creating an unequalled flagship green space within Horsham that enhances healthier urban living for families, connects residents with nature and nurtures both mental wellbeing and biodiversity. 

 

Points for supporters to consider:

-              Horsham District Council's Arboricultural officer is supporting the removal of all nine cedars, despite seven being healthy, on health and safety grounds.  HDC says these trees pose a risk to humans having cited a tree that dropped a bough in a London park in June sadly killing a child - that was a Cedar of Lebanon, a far longer-lived species and with different growing habits, not a Blue Atlas Cedar.

-              Horsham DC says it will replace the evergreen trees with those of “equal scale and grandeur” but new deciduous trees will take decades to equal the vast environmental benefits the current trees give us. We doubt they ever will. 

-              Horsham DC says two of the trees need to be felled due to fungus but we feel strongly the other seven should remain.

 

By kindly signing this petition, you're supporting development practices that respect nature's value and preserve the charm and beauty of Horsham. Please sign today!

 

You can also write to the MP or district councillors here.