Early on the morning of Wednesday 1st December 1999, workmen moved in quietly and fenced off the grounds. Then the chainsaws came out. They began with the trees on the northern part of the grounds - including several of those most important to local people, such as the mature sycamore which formed much of a central point. The scene in Library 'Wood' now is one of complete devastation. The pictures on this page were taken on the mornings of Thursday and Friday 2nd and 3rd December, viewing from Chalk Hill Road.
Clearance work has gone further than we even feared, with many smaller trees destroyed in the area to be left as public open space. At time of writing this (Friday 3rd December), they have yet to start work on the southern border.
Chris Wood, one of the Friends' Joint Co-ordinators, tabled a question at the Full Council meeting of Norwich City Council on Tuesday 7th December. He asked the Chair of Planning Committee to justify his committee's action in allowing planning permission, now that the result is plain for all to see, and the Chair of Environment Committee to explain why his committee has not taken an interest, given Norwich's claims to being a green and sustainable city, and the Council's own 'Tree 2000' planting project. The replies, read out, previously prepared and read out, did not answer the questions and contained inaccuracies. We are awaiting the written version. Suffice to say that thos eof us present were shocked and horrified at the treatment of the public at such a meeting.
