A petition to save trees threatened by building plans near Alder Hey Hospital has reached 1,800 signatures.
Residents living near Springfield Park in Liverpool are annoyed at the city council’s plans to remove greenery for new paths and buildings to be built.
Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust have been working on a restoration of Springfield Park since December 2019.
The first phase of this was to return some of the 9.4 hectares of land back to Liverpool City Council, which was agreed upon in 2012 preceding the hospital being built.
The Land Exchange Agreement is now powering through phases two and three, in which the rest of the land is set to be returned by the summer of 2023.
Those who oppose are protesting these developments through the Friends Of Springfield Park (@FOSPLiverpool) page on Twitter and have launched a petition to publicise their cause.
@FOSPLiverpool describe themselves as a “volunteer group helping to develop & manage Springfield Park Liverpool for our community for over 10 years in partnership with LCC”.
— Friends Of Springfield Park (@FOSPLiverpool) January 24, 2023
Donna Winrow, creator of the petition, says that although it has almost 2,000 signatures, the plan to cut 30 to 40 trees is still going ahead.
One of these trees is 186 years old.
She said: “The hospital is amazing. We love the hospital, but it is the trust board that is letting the community down.”
The building plans include the UK’s only dedicated bereavement centre for child loss. As well as the Sunflower House, a four-tier, 12-bed mental health unit.
Alder Hey said: “[we] are looking forward to working closely with our neighbours and partners in delivering a beautiful, thriving and restored Springfield Park, which has something for everyone and that can be enjoyed by the whole community.”
Liverpool City Council has been contacted for comment.
