THE deputy leader of Argyll and Bute Council has described the removal of protected trees at a woodland outside Helensburgh as “deeply concerning”.

A local resident raised the issue at a meeting in the town this week and asked for the remaining portion of the woodland at Blairvadach in Shandon to be returned to residents.

Councillor Gary Mulvaney (Conservative, Helensburgh Central) asked local authority officials to investigate the removal of trees from the woodland.

The discussion took place at a meeting of the council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee on Tuesday, March 12.

Resident Michael Darcy said: “I am here today about the deforestation of the natural woodland at Blairvadach, including seven out of nine giant redwoods that were there.

“Scotland only has around four per cent of mature natural woodland left. The new national planning framework recognises this and seeks to protect woodland from development.

“The people of Rhu fought for preservation orders, and Argyll and Bute dedicated significant resources to deliver Tree Preservation Orders in 2018, conning the community into thinking the trees would be protected.

“In 2020 the children of Rhu Primary School planted hundreds of native tree saplings, with case studies displayed on the council website.

“Will the council commit to giving back to the community what is left of Blairvadach Wood, so that we can ensure mature trees continue to provide purified air and water?

“It is essential for the wellbeing and resilience of this community that no more woodland is destroyed. We owe that to the children.”

Councillor Fiona Howard (Labour, Helensburgh Central) then said: “Why were these trees allowed to be cut down? They were part of the planning application.

“I just think it is wrong that people can cut them down willy-nilly. They say ‘sorry, we did not mean to do that’, but it is wrong, and we do not have any follow-ups to planning applications to ensure these things are not happening.”

Councillor Mulvaney said: “I am disappointed to hear what you suggest in terms of trees with TPOs being removed without permission.

"I suggest planning officers urgently look at this and look at a survey of that particular area to establish what is going on and what is being done and come back to yourselves.

“It is deeply concerning as we put TPOs on the trees for a specific reason – to preserve them.

"We need to understand what happened and who potentially did it. It is quite a serious matter, I would suggest.”

Mr Darcy then asked: “Will the council commit to giving back the remaining woodland to the residents of Rhu and Shandon?”

Clerk Stuart McLean responded: “If it is owned by the council, there is a community asset transfer process in place.

"After the meeting, I will put you in touch with the relevant person.”