Hastings Green Connections - Removal of four trees on Roberston Street

Overview

As part of the Public Realm developments proposed by the Hastings Green Connections scheme, improvements will be carried out to Robertson Street to include SuDs (Sustainable Drainage Systems) gardens, a cycle lane and 'pocket park' area. 

The image below shows the proposed pocket park and cycle lane, the red circles marking the trees proposed for removal.

In order to allow safe pedestrian and cycle transit, four of the ten existing trees located in Robertson Street have been identified for removal.

All four trees are classified as Category C specimens under BS5837:2012, which defined them as “Trees of low quality with an estimated remaining life expectancy of at least 10 years”. 

The image below shows the four trees requiring removal. (2026)

The retention of all existing trees on Robertson Street has been explored however is not considered feasible due to several constraints. The existing trees and their root zones conflict with proposed key pedestrian and cycle routes, as well as with necessary level changes across the site. Additionally, the available space does not allow for the proposed segregated cycle lane (separate from pedestrian paths) combining these would contradict feedback received during public consultation that strongly supported separation between cyclists and pedestrians. 
 
The scheme proposed the removal of four Category C existing trees on the eastern side of Robertson Street to allow for suitably safe pedestrian crossings, a designated two-way cycle path, clear pedestrian paths by shop frontages, and an alteration to localised levels for SuDs planting to alleviate surface water flooding. 

Design efforts have been made to retain six of the ten existing trees (including three Category B trees) building these into a pocket park with additional seating. As part of the scheme design, over 30 new trees will be added between Robertson Street, Wellington Place and Harold Place, including replacement of the four on Robertson Street, positioned around the key pedestrian and cycle routes, to further bolster the town’s biodiversity and ecological value. The positioning of proposed trees also seeks to impede the wind through the area to provide a greater level of comfort to visitors of the town. 
 
This balances the needs of the forward-looking scheme, adheres to recommended protection measures of the existing trees set out in the Tree Protection Plan, and mitigates against the proposed loss while retaining more than half of the existing trees on Robertson Street. 

The Hastings Green Connections scheme has proposed to plant over 30 new trees across the town centre, including five in the proposed ‘pocket park’ areas on Robertson Street. Six of the ten trees on Robertson Street will be preserved. 

Replanting of the four trees has been considered, however we are advised that replanting would require specialist equipment, underground guying and intensive aftercare, coming at a significant cost, in order to have a chance of success, so this has been decided against in favour of planting new trees.