Council criticised over decision to approve felling of 'significant' protected tree in Enfield Town

The work was carried out by the same contractor involved in the felling of the Whitewebbs oak which caused huge uproar last year

The white mulberry tree pictured before (left, credit Google) and after (right)

Enfield Council’s decision to allow a protected tree to be felled has been criticised – including by the civic centre’s own deputy leader.

The white mulberry tree which overlooked the market in Enfield Town was recently felled by contractors working for Barclays Bank, which had previously obtained permission from the council to remove the tree that was situated on land behind its building in The Town.

This was despite the admission contained in a report from Ground Control – a firm of arboricultural experts hired by Barclays to assess the tree – that although suffering from decay, it could still have been safely retained.

Ground Control was revealed by The Guardian earlier this year to be the firm behind the felling of the historic Whitewebbs oak tree in April 2025, which led to legal action from the council against pub company Mitchells & Butlers, owner of the Toby Carvery at Whitewebbs House where the tree was sited.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by either Ground Control or Barclays regarding the white mulberry in Enfield Town, as the removal of the tree on this occasion was fully approved by the council.

However, Michael Rye, the council’s Conservative deputy leader since May and also a ward councillor, has now criticised the decision to allow the felling, made in April by the civic centre’s planning department.

Ground Control’s report itself admitted that the white mulberry could be “reduced in height to remove decaying wood and to alleviate stresses” but that removal was recommended instead partly because the tree would subsequently “cost more to maintain”.

Cllr Rye told the Dispatch: “As a Town ward councillor, I was disappointed not to be notified of the proposal to fell the mulberry tree adjacent to Enfield Market Square.

“The tree was protected by a tree preservation order, made a valuable contribution to the character of the area and appeared to be in good health. In my view, the decision to remove it was misguided.”

The decision to allow the felling was also criticised by local environmental campaigner Matt Burn who, writing a letter to the Dispatch for this month’s edition of the paper, said: “I was appalled to discover that the much-loved mature mulberry tree behind Barclays in Enfield Market Square has been felled with Enfield Council’s permission.

“This was a significant tree. White mulberries are relatively unusual in Enfield, and this one had been protected by a tree preservation order since 1979. It stood within a conservation area, beside the Grade 2-listed Barclays building. It had ecological value and helped provide greenery and shade in a built-up area. Its unusual fruit also made it a local talking point.”

Matt added: “The council approved the felling with no public consultation whatsoever and no requirement for a replacement tree. Tree preservation orders exist to prevent unnecessary loss.

“Enfield has already lost too many of its old trees. Those that remain should be protected as part of our natural and historic heritage, not felled to save money.”

Asked to respond to criticisms of the council planning department’s decision, a spokesperson for the local authority said: “The application to remove this tree was considered on its individual merits and informed by a detailed arboricultural assessment and advice from the council’s tree officer.

“Having considered all of the available evidence, the council raised no objection to the application for its removal in its decision dated 29 April.”

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