A council has supported spending £92,000 of taxpayer’s money on stopping environmental protesters from going near a tree.
In Stroud Green, north London, the plane tree was at the centre of a criminal battle with insurance company Allianz, who claimed it was causing subsidence to two nearby houses.
After Haringey Council’s move to cut the tree down in April 2022 was thwarted by activists, it took environmental group Haringey Tree Protectors (HTP) to court in December to gain possession of it.
When the hearing was adjourned until March 15, residents were “shocked and stunned” to be woken at 4.30 am on March 12 as the CouncilCouncil took “possession” of the tree with security guards and scaffolding.
The CouncilCouncil claimed that the protesters had prepared to occupy the tree, leaving them forced to act, but it could never provide proof.
Security guards continued to man the tree 24 hours a day for over a month as the CouncilCouncil battled a high court injunction with Andrew Brenner, whose house was affected.
Brenner’s house has been affected by subsidence, but he is contesting his insurance company’s view that the tree is to blame.
Justification and Criticism Surround £92,000 Spending to Deter Tree Climbing Protests
Haringey Council settled out of court earlier this month, and a subsequent Freedom of Information request has revealed that the CouncilCouncil spent £92,000 occupying the tree.
A council spokesperson blamed the activists and Brenner for the costs incurred.
They said the cost was “a result of the direct action taken by protestors”, who had twice prevented the CouncilCouncil from felling the tree.
They added that the Council’sCouncil’s possession order granted in December 2022 had “a legal duty” to secure possession to prevent unauthorised occupation and protect anyone putting themselves at risk of injury.
The CouncilCouncil said its original cost estimate of £45,000 doubled when the court allowed Brenner to appeal its injunction.
But it said the £92,000 was “proportionate” given that another local authority recently paid £300,000 to remove protestors from a tree.
The Story Behind the Council’s £92,000 Initiative to Counter Tree Climbing Protests
The plane tree, in Oakfield Road, Stroud Green, has been midway through a legal clash, with insurance company Allianz claiming it is causing subsidence to two nearby houses.
The CouncilCouncil had tried to cut it down in April 2022 but was thwarted by activists, who took the environmental group Haringey Tree Protectors (HTP) to court in December to gain possession of the tree.
With the hearing at Clerkenwell and Shoreditch County Court adjourned until March 15, residents in Oakfield Road were “shocked and stunned” to be woken at 4.30 am on March 12 as the CouncilCouncil took “possession” of the tree with security guards and scaffolding.
A notice from Simon Farrow, head of parks and leisure at Haringey Council, dated the morning of the action, suggested protesters had prepared to occupy the tree. However, the Council Council has never provided any proof of this.
Security guards manned the tree 24 hours a day for over a month as the CouncilCouncil battled a high court injunction with Andrew Brenner.
His house is affected by subsidence, but he contests his insurance company’s view that the tree is to blame. Haringey Council settled out of court earlier this month.
A Freedom of Information plea has shown that the CouncilCouncil spent £92,000 occupying the tree.
A council spokesperson blamed the activists and Mr Brenner for the costs incurred.
They said the cost was “a result of the direct action taken by protestors”, who had twice prevented the CouncilCouncil from felling the tree.
They added the council possession order granted in December 2022 had “a legal duty” to secure possession to prevent unauthorised occupation and protect anyone putting themselves at risk of injury.
Examining the Council’s Decision to Spend £92,000 on Deterrence Against Tree Climbing Activists
The CouncilCouncil said its original cost estimate of £45,000 doubled when the court allowed Mr Brenner to appeal its injunction.
But it said the £92,000 was “proportionate” given that another local authority recently paid £300,000 to remove protestors from a tree.
Jo Syz, from Haringey Tree Protectors, said HTP had not occupied the tree since the court process began as “they were respecting the due process of law”.
“When Haringey Council took physical possession of the tree with scaffolding and securing guards, granting their injunction against protest at the tree was imminent. The penalties for breaking this would be profound.
“However, if anyone decided to break the injunction, it already included the power of arrest, so any protestors occupying the tree could be removed without further expense.
“If the council had considered what the local community requested all along and waited to decide on the tree until after the ombudsman’s ruling, this whole process could have been thwarted.”
