Worthing residents fight to save around 40 trees from the chop

Planning permission has been granted for a new 50-bed care home in Shelley Road on the site of the former Sussex Clinic, which Lisa Leach said would require cutting down around 40 trees that are teeming with wildlife.

Describing the woodland, which backs onto the garden of her home where she has lived for eight-and-a-half years, Lisa said: “It’s amazing, it’s such a special place.

“There’s so much wildlife in there. There are foxes, lots of squirrels, even two jays, wrens, bats, murmurations of starlings, dragon flies, butterflies...the trees are just alive with birds.”

While she does not object to the care home itself, she said they could have been ‘more creative’ with the design of the building.

“I really believe that they could make a huge care home and keep a lot of those trees, which are obviously crucial to the environment,” she said.

According to the planning documents, 51 new trees would be planted to make up for those cut down. But Lisa said: “That’s going to take 20 or 30 years.”

Lisa, who is one of the founding members of Breathing Spaces – which does therapeutic gardening with groups including people with dementia and learning difficulties – said she knew first hand of the benefits trees bring. “I see them as valuable assets,” she said.

She pointed out that Worthing Borough Council declared a Climate Emergency last year, but said: “We still seem to be stuck in the same old way of pulling things down.”

Resident Michelle Sidney agreed: “They are saying one thing and then doing another.”

She started a petition to save the trees, which amassed more than 170 signatures in less than 24 hours – see the petition here.

She said: “We all rely on trees. We need to look after the climate. Even if they replace them with saplings they are not going to offer the same protection for wildlife.

“I think people are certainly learning we really need to stop destroying our environment.”

However a spokesman for Worthing Borough Council said that, following representations from third parties, the developer, in consultation with the council, had agreed to retain some trees and replace some others.

“Five specimens will be retained on the Shelley Road frontage and another two will be replaced by higher quality trees,” the spokesman said.

“In addition the car parking area will be landscaped with two new planting beds with box hedging and the capacity for two more trees.

“The Eucalyptus tree, like many of the existing trees, is in a poor state but is also to be retained.

“The planning committee also noted that a new rear garden for residents to enjoy would help to go some way to balance off the loss of some of the existing trees.”

SEE MORE: Replacement Worthing care home plans approved with strengthened tree planting condition