A CAMPAIGNER trying to save trees due to be axed to make way for an affordable housing development has vowed to continue his fight.

Richard Jones-Abbas said about 12 trees have been cut down out of a planned 35 at Plas Deva, Meliden. He claims there are still 23 left to fight for.

Macbryde Homes are behind the development. The St Asaph housebuilder were granted permission for the 41-dwellings in February and tree-cutting re-commenced on Monday, April 20.

In order to accommodate the development - which includes homes ranging in size from two to four bedrooms - a number of trees, some subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), were given approval to be felled.

Mr Jones-Abbas - who launched a petition which attracted more than 860 signatures - said: "On my morning jog I heard chainsaws again and so I went down to the site. I talked to the contractors who had just chopped down a rare Wild Pear Tree which used to have a TPO on it.

Rhyl Journal:

Remaining rare Wild Pear Tree (on the right of the photo). Picture: Richard Jones-Abbas

"I went home and phoned the manager of Macbryde who said they were going to cut down all of the remaining trees they had been given permission to chop down, including the Monterey Cypress, which had a TPO, plus mature Elms, Ash and sycamore on the perimeter of the site.

"Myself and people I know on the petition are all for the affordable homes on this site, we just think that it could have been planned a lot better. They don't need to chop down 35 out of 42 trees on this small site."

"Planting shrubs and saplings will go nowhere near to compensating for the loss of those mature trees and the ecology they support.

Rhyl Journal:

Monterey Cypress (centre of the photo). Picture: Richard Jones-Abbas

Mr Jones-Abbas has also taken issue with a point made by Macbryde Homes in an article on April 21 which stated that tree related work had essentially been completed – 'it’s just cutting up and chipping that remains to be finished off'.

He added: "Hopefully Macbryde and Adra, the social landlord, will see reason and change their minds about some of the remaining trees many of which are over 100 years old, support wildlife and absorb lots of CO2.”

Gwyn Jones, managing director of Macbryde Partnerships, acting as principle contractor on site delivering affordable homes to a registered provider, said: "All the trees that have been felled as part of our preparatory work on site in Meliden were as per the details granted in the planning permission. Denbighshire County Council has been kept fully abreast of the work we’ve carried out to ensure total transparency.

"We have also reiterated this to Mr Jones-Abbas when he’s contacted us directly.”

A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said: “There have been no new or changed plans for the removal of trees on this site.

"The tree removal so far has been approved as part of the planning permission for the site.”