Southampton City Council has allowed the airport to reduce the height of 219 trees at Marlhill Copse. Some will be completely felled (at least 20) and about 93 ‘crown-reduced’ by over 10 metres. I have taken out a High Court injunction forbidding any tree-works pending consideration of a Judicial Review.

In order to expand, Southampton airport wants to fly heavier planes that need a shallower take off angle. Marlhill Copse obstructs this. Despite commercial profit not air safety being at the heart of this matter, the City Council has agreed to the works in this Conservation Area with Tree Preservation Orders.

This is an absurdity:

1. Parliament and the City Council have declared a Climate Emergency and the Government's Committee on Climate Change has advised us all to reduce our hunger for air travel.

2. Urban woodland has been shown to reduce health costs, through absorbing pollutants, and is calculated to save the UK more than £205 million each year [Office of National Statistics - 2017].

This campaign is supported by Extinction Rebellion and Friends of the Earth.