THE iconic mature trees fronting the new Tesco store in Marston are in peril.
Permission has been granted by Oxfordshire County Council upon the insistence of Tesco to lop these trees to improve the visibility of the new store and give access to their delivery vehicles.
Also a new service road, required by the new store, will need to excavate around a metre to meet current specifications and damage tree roots.
Andrew Smith MP, at the insistence of Marston residents, has received a reply from the relevant OCC department, although recognising the problem, offering no solution.
A telling comment is that a Tree Preservation Order could not protect them from ‘accidental’ damage during the construction of the new Tesco store. An independent expert confirms this, and notes that no major branches should be lopped and one of the trees, an Indian Bean tree, is particularly prone to interference.
Will any bookmaker offer me odds on the outcome?
MICK HAINES, Croft Road, New Marston
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