Following complaints about the recent tree-felling work in Bailey Park, Monmouthshire County Council has confirmed it has submitted two funding bids to the Welsh Government to allow for the creation of two new avenues of trees in the park.

Due to safety concerns, a number of trees in the park were removed by Monmouthshire County Council with work starting on October 31.

In a recent edition of the Chronicle we told how some Abergavenny residents had expressed concerns about the number of trees cut down in the park, with many worried about the increasing carbon footprint caused by the works, heightened by the recent COP26 Climate Change conference in Glasgow.

The Chronicle contacted the council with regards to these concerns, to which they responded to with a statement.

In the statement, MCC say: “We look at all solutions to retain our urban tree canopy but also have a responsibility for public safety in the park and along this busy route.

‘’Where we do have to remove trees, we look to plant new.

“By the end of this winter, we will have planted over 10,000 trees as part of our commitment to tackling climate change.

‘‘We are also encouraging residents to plant a tree in their own garden to substantially increase the urban tree canopy and help tackle the climate and nature emergencies at a local level.”

The council hopes that if granted, Welsh Government funding will allow a comprehensive tree survey to be undertaken to consider safety, long term management and succession planning and planting to ensure the future of the historic treescape in the context of climate change and increasing stress, pests and diseases.

Additional work would include re-landscaping of the Bailey Park brook to reduce flood risk and increase biodiversity. Speaking about the recent tree-felling work, Abergavenny Mayor Tudor Thomas said: “The removal of the trees in Bailey Park has proved to be controversial with some people welcoming the removal and other people condemning the cutting down of these very large trees at the bottom of park opposite Morrisons supermarket.

“The park is owned by MCC and their specialist tree officers advised that the trees should be removed for safety reasons as outlined in the response from MCC.

“There have been issues with these trees causing safety issues on the A40 - branches causing damage to high sided vehicles and stopping the street lights illuminating the pavements on the A40.

‘‘Many of the trees were found to be unsafe and needed to be removed.”

Addressing the concerns of the increasing carbon footprint following the tree-felling work , Mayor Thomas added: “I have been assured that native species of trees will be planted to replace the ever green trees removed.

‘‘I look forward to the new planting and the establishment of them in the park.”