Green light for plans to prune protected trees on former Shirley Croft Hotel site in Grantham

Plans relating to tree pruning during the redevelopment of a former Grantham hotel site have been approved.

South Kesteven District Council’s planning committee approved plans to prune protected trees on the old Shirley Croft Hotel site off Harrowby Road.

Councillor Charmaine Morgan (Ind, St Vincent's) and Councillor Patsy Ellis (Green, St Vincent’s) spoke at the meeting against the plans.

Coun Ellis said that there is “a lot of resentment” relating to the site and “a lot of anger” at the proposed amendments.

While appreciating that tree pruning was beneficial to the health of trees, Coun Ellis said her issue was the "extent of the pruning crown lifting”.

“If this pruning crown lifting is done to this height, you are going to end up with trees that look like grotesque lollipops,” added Coun Ellis.

Coun Morgan said that the protected trees are currently in an “elevated position” and contribute “positively to the street scene”.

She continued: “Throughout the controversial development of this site, the risk to existing protected trees was highlighted.

“The density of the development also removes any opportunity to add further landscaping to the site.”

Coun Morgan added that the “extent of the pruning” is not “appropriate or justified, but excessive and disproportionate”.

In November 2022, councillors voted to refuse plans to build nine homes on the land due to concerns over the layout and design of the development.

The proposal was resubmitted by the applicant Grange Developments, with the refusal decision described as “irrational and unreasonable”.

This resubmission, for the construction of six homes as well as three previously approved dwellings, was approved conditionally in January by the planning inspectorate, with work since commencing on the site.

Councillor Mark Whittington (Con, Barrowby Gate) also noted his opposition to the plans.

The original pruning height was 5.5 metres from ground level, but an amendment changed this to 5.05 metres from the highest point on Harrowby Road, which Coun Morgan said will save around 1.5 metres of foliage per tree.