Saltaire Trees Insights

The results of a survey about consultation on the Public Realm

project and the decision to remove 32 trees ….

Disclaimer

• We are merely a group of concerned citizens working alongside Sunday roasts, children and laundry…. So the slides aren’t brilliantly designed, and information is available for you to verify all the facts. However we have done our best to arrange in some kind of order in a hurry…and to give you the links to explore and decide what action you or we should take.

Background

• April 2014 a consultation took place in Saltairewhere 128 questionnaires were collected about a public realm project.

• Saltaire residents claimed the results showed that 58% of people wanted to keep trees in some form.

• The council decided that most residents wanted to remove the trees but some councillors argued that some should be replanted

The health of the trees…?

Bradford council said

An Arboricultural report said that the tree population was unsustainable and that the trees would die anyway over the next 40 years.

The arboricultural report said

30% of trees were in good condition9 trees25% had a life expectancy of 10 years or less8 trees50% would need to be removed in 20 years or less16 trees75% would need to be removed within 30 years24 trees90% would need to be removed in 40 years28.

The tree report did state ….

4.4. Management Options. The possible management options for the group is almost endless when considering the potential variables of trees to retain / trees to remove / available species / planting techniques / protection methodologies for the group. This issues ideally needs to be agreed with local interested parties to try and achieve a consensus and help define a strategy in broad terms and management of the trees

Councillors say that “there was no alternative viable policy option”

Don’t take our word for it

Quote from report“Overall, the risk offered by the majority of the trees is low and well within the boundaries of tolerability that might ordinarily be applied by a reasonable and

informed landowner. “

Full report herehttp://www.bradford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/158EFFA8-375B-4D4D-8CAD-6281FC8A22D7/0/INDEPENDENTTREESURVEYVictoriaRoadSaltaire.pdf

June 2014

• A petition was launched on change.org asking the council to review the decision to remove all the 32 trees and 309 people signed it.

• The council said the petition needed to be on their ePetition website.

• So residents re-launched the petition and gained another 309 responses.

July 2014

The petition was presented to full council and a review was called and the council said that “an extensive consultation has taken place and the result is only 25% want trees to be kept.”

The consultation included 128 questionnaires, 32 post-it notes and 26 emails.

This was less than half of the numbers who signed the petition.

This was a third of the number who answered our survey in one week.

The scrutiny committee

• The committee in the council who provide overviews and scrutinise decisions were recommended to disregard the petition and not widen consultation because of the following reasons….

Question we have…

• How much did the risk of losing the £700k capital funding influence this decision?

• Was this a risk given the funding was from 2012-2016 and the council can roll-over funds?

Our results analysed

• By a qualified researcher with a doctorate to ensure that the results were as rigorous as possible. The summary findings are detailed in the next slides…

• The full report is available here

https://qtrial2015az1.az1.qualtrics.com/CP/Report.php?RP=RP_2hqzhcMgSYsBgLb

Survey opened on 8th February 2015 and closed at 10am on Sunday 15th February, 2015

392 individuals started to complete the survey, of these 289 provided complete data sets

Data below are reported using listwise deletion (all valid answers for each question are presented, missing number of responses are specified).

The following results

• Look at Saltaire residents views only so as to compare with the council results

• A full report of all findings from residents within and outside Saltaire is available online too. Click or copy and paste the link here https://qtrial2015az1.az1.qualtrics.com/CP/Report.php?RP=RP_57uA5O44vW3r2Pb

51%

5%

32%

12%

What is your primary interest in Saltaire?

Saltaire village resident,business or propertyowner

Saltaire Visitor fromoutside Bradford

Bradford resident,business or propertyowner

Other

NB: Total response N=381, 11 missing responses

76%

4%

20%

How do you feel about the recent tree felling in Saltaire and the suggestion that up to 8 trees may replace the 32 trees that have

been removed?

Very unhappy / unhappy

Neither unhappy nor happy

happy / very happy

NOTE: Graph based on 185 Saltaire Residents, Property or Business owners, 11 missing responses (Total pool of 196)

Strongly agree / agree12%

Neither agree nor disagree

18%

Disagree / strongly disagree

70%

I feel the consultation was extensive

NOTE: Graph based on 173 Saltaire Residents, Property or Business owners, 23 missing responses (Total pool of 196)

Strongly agree / agree22%

Neither agree nor disagree

18%

Disagree / strongly disagree

60%

I feel the scheme is good for Saltaire

NOTE: Graph based on 173 Saltaire Residents, Property or Business owners, 23 missing responses (Total pool of 196)

Strongly agree / agree55%

Neither agree nor disagree

17%

Disagree / strongly disagree

28%

I feel the scheme is bad for Saltaire

NOTE: Graph based on 174 Saltaire Residents, Property or Business owners, 22 missing responses (Total pool of 196)

Strongly agree / agree19%

Neither agree nor disagree

18%

Disagree / strongly disagree

63%

I feel that my views have been considered

NOTE: Graph based on 171 Saltaire Residents, Property or Business owners, 25 missing responses (Total pool of 196)

14%

30%56%

In the public consultation, three options were offered in a questionnaire. Please select which option you chose or

would have chosen as the best option for Saltaire

Remove all trees

Remove all treesreplant some

Keep existing trees

NOTE: Graph based on 167 Saltaire Residents, Property or Business owners, 29 missing responses (Total pool of 196)

Sample Comments left in the surveyMore available on our bloghttp://saltairetrees.blogspot.co.uk/

I am angry that my views were not represented and the council yet again seem to do whatever they want. I am frightened for my children and other pedestrians as the road now looks like a main road, and drivers are going well over the 20 mile an hour limit! There is no safe place to cross Victoria rd. I would also like to know the impact on house prices and pollution, that felling the trees has caused!

How can it be a UNESCO site when the very nature of the ambience is changed overnight

I am happy with the plans though I would be keen to be reminded of the time table for the replanting of trees and repair to pavements.

Half these trees were not disturbing pavements and could have been PRUNED for future growth. / I think we have people in control of Saltaire as a World Heritage Site who seem not accountable & their decisions barely transparent. These people need replacing. New trees need to be planted. The people complaining about light are being precious of their own self-interest in terms of their perception of market value.

What next?

You decide.

Here are some of our suggestions….

Contact the councillors who led the decision.

Join our network on facebook or twitter

Just look for our online SaltaireTrees

(as we no longer have real ones)

Help us shape a petition

• http://saltairetrees.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/should-we-have-new-petition.html

• We want your input here to help address the concerns so obvious from petitions, consultations and conversations.