Knowle relocation project > "the Ginkgo might be saved, although the chances of its survival are probably less than evens"

Fifty years ago, a ginkgo was planted at Knowle by the Men of the Trees:
Futures Forum: A new plaque for the historic ginkgo in the Knowle park ..... 12 noon Monday 12th January
Ginkgo Biloba At East Devon Council Offices | Facebook
June 2010 - Friends of The Byes / Sidmouth BEE Project | Facebook

When fears started to emerge over the future of the gingko, council tree officers said that there would be no need to protect the tree:
Futures Forum: A new plaque for the historic ginkgo in the Knowle park ..... “There is no need to make a TPO, as it is not at risk from untoward management or removal.”

However, things have moved on since then.

The developers at Knowle want to remove the ginkgo - which lies inconveniently in the way of their development: 

Relocation and retention of a Ginkgo tree which is valued by the local community.

Another smoke screen hiding a disbenefit, the Ginkgo might be saved, although the chances of its survival are probably less than evens, but other mature trees are being felled and their replacements will not benefit many current Sidmothians because they will be long dead before the trees mature. I refer you to the submission from Sidmouth Arboretum.

Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: PegasusLife appeal inquiry >>> challenging the developer's heritage 'evidence' >>> and when public 'benefits' are 'disbenefits'

And work will start imminently: 

Work set to begin to relocate Ginkgo tree at Knowle

PUBLISHED: 12:37 05 April 2018 | UPDATED: 12:42 05 April 2018

Clarissa Place

PegasusLife will move the Gingko tree in the gardens of Knowle to a new site.

Work is due to begin next week in preparation to move a Gingko tree to a new site in Knowle’s gardens.

A specialist tree moving company is set to start work on Monday (April 9) on behalf of developer PegasusLife, who have permission to build a 113-home retirement community at Knowle.

The tree will be moved from the front lawns of the ground to an area lower down the garden.

The specialists will create a trench with supporting sloping sides, around the tree to allow it to form a root ball over the coming months before it is relocated.

The work is expected to take between four to five days to complete but the tree itself is not due to be relocated until 2019.

The trench will remain open until the tree has been relocated, with the excavation being protected with fencing.

An EDDC spokeswoman confirmed the existing path around the side and front of the building will remain in public use.

Work to start ahead of relocating Gingko tree in Sidmouth's Knowle gardens | Latest Sidmouth and Ottery News - Sidmouth Herald

With the full press release from the District Council here:

Moving the Gingko tree at Knowle

When this content has been created

5 April 2018

Preparations for moving the Gingko tree to a site lower down in Knowle's gardens are due to begin

As promised, PegasusLife will begin the process of moving the Gingko tree from the lawn in front of Knowle to an area lower down in the gardens and will shortly start the necessary preparatory works to make this happen.

An initial ground penetration radar survey to ascertain the location of any existing services or obstructions has already been carried out. It is understood that the preparatory works to the tree, which will be undertaken by a specialist tree moving company, are likely to commence during the week of 9 April and are estimated to take around four to five days to complete.

While the site for the preparatory works will be the lawn area adjacent to the western wing of Knowle in which the Gingko tree is located, we can confirm that the existing path to the side and along the front of the building will remain in public use.

The preparatory work will involve the excavation of a trench with self-supporting sloping sides, around the tree. The size of the trench will depend upon the tree’s root system and soil profile, but typically it will be between 1m to 1.5m deep.

The formation of this trench and the judicial pruning of the roots within will enable the tree to form a root ball over the coming months until relocation, which PegasusLife have advised will be during 2019. This trench will remain open until the tree has been relocated, with the excavation being protected with Heras fencing.

5 April 2018 - Moving the Gingko tree at Knowle - East Devon
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