Trees now likely to be saved, thanks to Lib Dem pressure

1.06.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 2nd May 2009

Despite Finesse Leisure's appeal to the council to fell ALL of the 428 poplar trees in the north car park at Stanborough Lakes, it looks as if local campaigners have been successful in persuading the council's Task & Finish Group to see the folly of this course of action.

Local Liberal Democrats and other community groups have campaigned tirelessly for the trees to be saved and Liberal Democrat Councillors Louise Lotz and Malcolm Cowan were at the meeting where a phased replacement of the trees in the north car park was agreed as the preferred option to go forward for consultation.

Nigel Quinton, who has been at the forefront of the campaign to save the trees, said: "It is a shame that we were unable to prevent the council chopping down all the trees in the south car park, but I am delighted that common sense seems likely to prevail in the north car park."