The story of how a process failed people and how 32 trees were felled in the heart of the world heritage site of Saltaire.

1. Saltaire Trees Insights
The results of a survey about
consultation on the Public Realm
project and the decision to remove 32
trees ….

2. Disclaimer
• We are merely a group of concerned citizens
working alongside Sunday roasts, children and
laundry…. So the slides aren’t brilliantly
designed, and information is available for you
to verify all the facts. However we have done
our best to arrange in some kind of order in a
hurry…and to give you the links to explore and
decide what action you or we should take.

3. Background
• April 2014 a consultation took place in Saltaire
where 128 questionnaires were collected about a
public realm project.
• Saltaire residents claimed the results showed that
58% of people wanted to keep trees in some
form.
• The council decided that most residents wanted
to remove the trees but some councillors argued
that some should be replanted

4. The health of the trees…?
Bradford council said
An Arboricultural report
said that the tree
population was
unsustainable and that
the trees would die
anyway over the next 40
years.
The arboricultural report said
30% of trees were in good condition
9 trees
25% had a life expectancy of 10 years or
less
8 trees
50% would need to be removed in 20 years
or less
16 trees
75% would need to be removed within 30
years
24 trees
90% would need to be removed in 40 years
28.

5. The tree report did state ….
4.4. Management Options. The possible management options
for the group is almost endless when considering the potential
variables of trees to retain / trees to remove / available
species / planting techniques / protection methodologies for
the group. This issues ideally needs to be agreed with local
interested parties to try and achieve a consensus and help
define a strategy in broad terms and management of the trees
Councillors say that “there was no
alternative viable policy option”

6. Don’t take our word for it
Quote from report
“Overall, the risk offered by the majority of the trees is low and well within the
boundaries of tolerability that might ordinarily be applied by a reasonable and
informed landowner. “
Full report here
http://www.bradford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/158EFFA8-375B-4D4D-8CAD-
6281FC8A22D7/0/INDEPENDENTTREESURVEYVictoriaRoadSaltaire.pdf

7. June 2014
• A petition was launched on change.org asking
the council to review the decision to remove
all the 32 trees and 309 people signed it.
• The council said the petition needed to be on
their ePetition website.
• So residents re-launched the petition and
gained another 309 responses.

8. July 2014
The petition was presented to full council and a
review was called and the council said that “an
extensive consultation has taken place and the
result is only 25% want trees to be kept.”
The consultation included 128 questionnaires,
32 post-it notes and 26 emails.

9. This was less than half of the
numbers who signed the petition.
This was a third of the
number who answered
our survey in one week.

10. The scrutiny committee
• The committee in the council who provide
overviews and scrutinise decisions were
recommended to disregard the petition and
not widen consultation because of the
following reasons….

12. Question we have…
• How much did the risk of losing the £700k
capital funding influence this decision?
• Was this a risk given the funding was from
2012-2016 and the council can roll-over
funds?

13. Our results analysed
• By a qualified researcher with a doctorate to
ensure that the results were as rigorous as
possible. The summary findings are detailed
in the next slides…
• The full report is available here
https://qtrial2015az1.az1.qualtrics.com/CP/Rep
ort.php?RP=RP_2hqzhcMgSYsBgLb

14. Survey opened on 8th February 2015 and
closed at 10am on Sunday 15th February,
2015
392 individuals started to complete the
survey, of these 289 provided complete
data sets
Data below are reported using listwise
deletion (all valid answers for each question
are presented, missing number of responses
are specified).

15. 51%
5%
32%
12%
What is your primary interest in Saltaire?
Saltaire village resident,
business or property
owner
Saltaire Visitor from
outside Bradford
Bradford resident,
business or property
owner
Other
NB: Total response N=381, 11
missing responses

16. 76%
4%
20%
How do you feel about the recent tree felling in Saltaire and the
suggestion that up to 8 trees may replace the 32 trees that have
been removed?
Very unhappy / unhappy
Neither unhappy nor happy
happy / very happy
NOTE: Graph based on 185 Saltaire Residents, Property or
Business owners, 11 missing responses (Total pool of 196)

17. Strongly
agree /
agree
12%
Neither agree
nor disagree
18%
Disagree /
strongly
disagree
70%
I feel the consultation was extensive
NOTE: Graph based on 173 Saltaire Residents, Property or
Business owners, 23 missing responses (Total pool of 196)

18. Strongly agree /
agree
22%
Neither agree
nor disagree
18%
Disagree /
strongly disagree
60%
I feel the scheme is good for Saltaire
NOTE: Graph based on 173 Saltaire Residents, Property or
Business owners, 23 missing responses (Total pool of 196)

19. Strongly agree /
agree
55%
Neither agree
nor disagree
17%
Disagree /
strongly
disagree
28%
I feel the scheme is bad for Saltaire
NOTE: Graph based on 174 Saltaire Residents, Property or
Business owners, 22 missing responses (Total pool of 196)

20. Strongly agree /
agree
19%
Neither agree nor
disagree
18%
Disagree / strongly
disagree
63%
I feel that my views have been considered
NOTE: Graph based on 171 Saltaire Residents, Property or
Business owners, 25 missing responses (Total pool of 196)

21. Strongly agree /
agree
19%
Neither agree nor
disagree
18%
Disagree / strongly
disagree
63%
I feel that my views have been considered
NOTE: Graph based on 175 Saltaire Residents, Property or
Business owners, 21 missing responses (Total pool of 196)

22. 14%
30%56%
In the public consultation, three options were offered in a
questionnaire. Please select which option you chose or
would have chosen as the best option for Saltaire
Remove all trees
Remove all trees
replant some
Keep existing trees
NOTE: Graph based on 167 Saltaire Residents, Property or
Business owners, 29 missing responses (Total pool of 196)

23. Sample Comments left in the survey
I am angry that my views were not
represented and the council yet again
seem to do whatever they want. I am
frightened for my children and other
pedestrians as the road now looks like
a main road, and drivers are going
well over the 20 mile an hour limit!
There is no safe place to cross Victoria
rd. I would also like to know the
impact on house prices and pollution,
that felling the trees has caused!
How can it be a UNESCO
site when the very
nature of the ambience
is changed overnight

24. I am happy with the plans
though I would be keen to be
reminded of the time table
for the replanting of trees
and repair to pavements.
Half these trees were not disturbing
pavements and could have been PRUNED for
future growth. / I think we have people in
control of Saltaire as a World Heritage Site
who seem not accountable & their decisions
barely transparent. These people need
replacing. New trees need to be planted.
The people complaining about light are
being precious of their own self-interest in
terms of their perception of market value.

25. What next?
You decide.
Here are some of our suggestions….

26. Contact the councillors who led the
decision.

27. Join our network on facebook or
twitter
Just look for our online SaltaireTrees
(as we no longer have real ones)

28. Help us shape a petition
• http://saltairetrees.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/s
hould-we-have-new-petition.html
• We want your input here to help address the
concerns so obvious from petitions,
consultations and conversations.