A tree that it’s believed was deliberately killed will not be replaced, a council has said.
Patrick Cassidy, of Spalding Road in Holbeach, said he saw a person spraying one of the lime trees which lines the street in June 2024, and it subsequently died.
Lincolnshire County Council also believe it was killed on purpose and passed it on Lincolnshire Police.
But the force said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute.
Mr Cassidy has been pushing for the last few years for the tree to be replaced, but he was surprised to be recently told that it wouldn’t and the county council will instead cover the ground where it previously stood.
The council argues that the culprit would possibly kill off the new tree, and it only has a limited budget.
“Because somebody damaged a mature public tree, the council proposes to remove the planting site altogether rather than risk replacing it,” Mr Cassidy said. “I appreciate the council’s concerns regarding public expenditure and the possibility of further damage.
“Nevertheless, I find it difficult to accept that the appropriate response to the destruction of a public amenity should be to remove any prospect of restoring it.
“Interestingly, Coun Thomas Sneath confirmed in an email to me that Highways acknowledges that the absence of the tree detracts from the appearance of Spalding Road, but nevertheless maintains its decision not to replace it.
“I have pursued the matter through the local county councillor and have now submitted a formal complaint to Lincolnshire County Council, requesting reconsideration of the decision and the preservation of the existing tree pit.”
Chris Miller, head of environment for Lincolnshire County Council, said: “We take the damage or deliberate destruction of public trees seriously.
“Trees make an important contribution to our communities, and we would not want to see another tree lost through deliberate damage.
“We understand the disappointment that this lime tree on Spalding Road in Holbeach has been lost and we appreciate the concerns raised by residents.
“We have considered whether to replace it, but there are concerns about the risk of a replacement tree being damaged again, as well as uncertainty about whether the soil has been affected by whatever substance was used to damage the original tree.
“With a limited budget for street tree planting, we need to ensure replacement trees have the best possible chance of becoming established and thriving. At this stage, replanting at this location is not considered the best use of those resources.
“Deliberately damaging or poisoning a tree is unacceptable. Public trees are an asset for the whole community, and we all have a responsibility to protect them. That’s why we encourage anyone with information about damage to public trees to report it to the relevant authorities.”
