20 August 2018: 3:49 pm

Planting a future

Three dying trees have been replaced from Basildon's St Martin's Square, as part of improvement works to the space and adjacent St Martin’s Church Gardens.

An application to have  Tree Preservation Orders lifted on the trees was approved  while an independent tree consultant was appointed by council contractor Thomas Sinden to assess the health and viability of the trees, which were showing severe signs of decline; they have been since replaced with four new ones.

Tony Hedley, Basildon Council's chairman of the regeneration committee, said: "Felling trees is always avoided where possible but in this case we’ve been advised by an independent tree consultant working for our contractor and by the council's own arboriculturist."