A decision on the future of the beloved ‘footbridge oaks’ in Sydenham Hill Wood is due next week.
The two mature oaks straddling Cox’s Walk footbridge were saved from being felled in December after a dramatic stand-off between protestors and the council’s contractors.
Although Justice Cutts threw out a court application to have the activists removed from their 24-hour camp, the trees’ future remained in the balance.
Soon after, the local authority reapplied for planning permission to fell after its original notice had expired.
The council says the cost and time that could be spent exploring alternative options to completing repairs on the Victorian bridge would be better spent elsewhere.
It’s a view disputed by campaigners who argue alternative options can both repair the bridge and protect the trees – and their ecosystem.
The application was open for public comment until Monday, January 10 and a decision will be returned on Tuesday 19.