Save the green spaces and trees in The Close, Rayners Lane, Harrow, HA5

Harrow Council is proposing to use the green spaces situated off The Close, where a large number of trees and bushes can be found, for the management of flood water. The proposal is to install swales in the green spaces which would mean cutting down the trees and bushes in the area, many of which were planted in the 1930s. A swale is a basin in the ground and acts as a drainage channel where water can collect and soak away. We are concerned that the green spaces in The Close will turn into a bog when there is a lot of rainfall.

No consideration has been given to:

- The many trees and bushes in the green spaces in The Close or their role in drinking up the water, many of which have been here since the 1930s.

- The biodiversity provided by the trees including attracting bees.

- The role of the trees in improving air quality in the Rayners Lane area. 

- The use of the green spaces by the local community as an outdoor area for many local residents and local businesses.

In Harrow Council’s Climate Change Strategy 2019 - 2024 the Council has committed to ‘preserve our community’s many green spaces and trees, and to protect its biodiversity.'

The Council also recognised that trees 'converting CO2 emissions into oxygen are a valuable resource in the UK as the climate warms providing shade for buildings in summer, shelter in winter, and will help absorb water during heavy downpours.’ 

Please help us ensure that Harrow Council implements its own Climate Change Strategy!

Please help save the trees, bushes and green spaces in The Close enjoyed by local residents, local businesses and the local community!

Please sign this petition.