Council hit by interim injunction over felling of trees as part of £2.2bn project

A campaigner has secured an interim High Court injunction prohibiting the felling of further street trees in Sheffield by the city council or its contractor Amey as part of the £2.2bn 'Streets Ahead' project.

Mr Justice Dove held that David Dilner’s claim had sufficient merit to justify the grant of interim relief pending further investigation of its prospects of success.

Dilner argues that the local authority’s consultation was improper and that consideration should have been given to assessing the cumulative effects of the project under the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive.

Cllr Terry Fox, cabinet member for environment and transport at Sheffield City Council, said: “We received a claim for judicial review and injunction late on Friday and have halted all tree felling whilst the injunction is in place. We were not notified of the proposed application to court before it was submitted and the court order was passed without our position being heard. Our lawyers are now considering the appropriate action in regard to challenging the court order, which will take a few days.

“We hope to settle this matter as soon as possible.” 

Charles Streeten of Francis Taylor Building is acting for the claimant, instructed by the Environmental Law Foundation.