Leaves and branches of trees in Stanley Avenue chopped off

This time of year normally see trees across the land rediscover their leaves and blossom into life, a welcome sign that the warmer weather has arrived, unless you happen to live in a certain Alperton street.

Residents in Stanley Avenue were left perplexed when they discovered council officials had hired workers to go down the street and chop the leaves and branches of the road’s trees.

Shirley Mephan, who lives on the street, told the Times it was done completely without warning and she returned from a week away to find they had been stripped bare.

She told the Times: “They have completely cut the tops off at least eight to 10 trees just as they were flourishing. It seems like a very unnecessary thing to do.

“Me and other residents used to enjoy looking at them but now it looks horrible. I cant see why they have done it.”

A council spokesman told the Times: “There are a number of mature trees in Stanley Avenue which need to be managed as part of this year’s tree maintenance programme to ensure they remain healthy and stable.

“Heavily pruning or pollarding trees is part of the management process and may look extreme but allows new growth which doesn’t undermine the stability of the tree.

“We can also confirm that tree has been felled on the junction of Ealing Road and Stanley Avenue because it was dying.”

last months residents in Kempe Road, Queen’s Park narrowly avoided having 20 trees felled along the street after complaining to the council who binned the plans.