The Armada Way saga 18 months on from the night when 'monsters' came

Contractors took chainsaws to Armada Way trees
-Credit: (Image: William Telford)


Work is due to finally begin next month on the ambitious redevelopment of Plymouth’s Armada Way after councillors agreed to spend more than £29m on the project. That, of course, will not be the end of a saga which has been ongoing for more than two years and made national headlines when 110 trees were chopped down overnight in March last year.

There is still a legal fight in progress and the work has yet to begin. An end date of August 2026 has been announced but that doesn’t include a final phase covering the Piazza, which is not included in the current time frame, so the actual completion target is unknown.

There is also the potential for delays to hit the scheme as it is constructed. The £17m revamp of Old Town Street and New George Street was supposed to be completed two years ago but is still ongoing.

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However, many will be relieved that construction is about to begin on a redevelopment which has been described as vital for the city centre’s eventual transformation into a residential area, and which has been strongly backed by city centre businesses hoping for an end to disruption and a boost to trade.

It creates a benchmark on a controversial project which has seen a “military-style” tree-felling operation, public anger, court battles, the resignation of a council leader, a change in administration, an entirely new design, rampant inflation, and ongoing uncertainty.

So this is where we are, and this is how we got here. PlymouthLive has covered every step of the story and will continue to monitor developments.

August 2022 - plans revealed

Plymouth City Council revealed that Armada Way was to be turned into a 1km long, tree-lined “urban park” with “dancing fountains” under new plans to improve the link from the city centre to the sea. The council appointed construction firm Morgan Sindall to carry out £447,700 of design work before the main construction began in 2023.

The idea was to make Armada Way “a more impressive route” from North Cross roundabout through the city centre and “a clear visual link to the sea”, which was the original ambition of the route when it was built, making it more attractive to shoppers and removing “hidden areas” which attract street drinkers.

November 2022 - concerns raised over tree felling

Plymouth City Council was urged to "rethink" its regeneration plans for Armada Way after it emerged the £12.7m project would see most of the trees along Armada Way chopped down and replaced. The action group Save the Trees of Armada Way (Straw) called the council's consultation period "inadequate" A petition to save the trees had already reached more than 4,000 signatures.

Tree felling put on pause

Following an outcry, the tree felling along Armada Way was put on pause by the Tory run council. The opposition Labour group called for the felling of trees to be halted while the views of the public on the scheme were properly considered.

December 2022 - petition reaches 10,000 names

The Straw petition to save the trees along Armada Way reached 10,000 signatures with the group calling for more public engagement around the tree felling and claiming the council was ignoring requests to speak with the group. Straw called on the council to reconsider its plans and incorporate the trees into its regeneration vision.

January 2023 - businesses back plan

Business leaders backed the planned upgrade and said they wanted work to restart as soon as possible. A dozen bosses signed a letter calling for the project to go ahead saying it was vital to protect their businesses and for the future of the city centre.

Meanwhile, the public was given the opportunity to to learn more about the plans with the council opening a “knowledge centre” in cabins in Armada Way.

New plans save more trees

Council chiefs drew up a new plan for the £12.7m upgrade of Armada Way which saw 24 trees saved but still would mean 129 being chopped down. The modified design now included planting 150 semi-mature trees which would be “more appropriate to a city centre setting”.

This would bring the total of trees in the Armada Way scheme to 174. But 25 existing trees identified as possible for translocation would not be moved as they might not survive - and were to be chopped down.

However, an additional seven trees already growing in Armada Way were earmarked for retention. And a further three new trees were added to the scheme.

Campaigners still angry

Furious campaigners remained unhappy with the council’s revised plan and accused the authority of chopping down 129 trees for a cycle path nobody wants. Straw accused the council of being “hell-bent on cutting down our urban forest” despite the authority having an environmental policy.

Straw said saving only a few additional trees would do nothing to satisfy more than 11,000 people who had signed its petition against the chop. It accused the council of a lack of consultation and of using Transforming Cities Fund cash to boost cycling without support from bike users.

The council responded by saying the row over removal and replacement of Armada Way’s trees was overshadowing investment into the city centre which is vital if it is to be “reimagined” as a residential area.

Plan stalls again

Work on the regeneration was stalled as councillors opted to consult the public over plans which would see 129 trees chopped down. At a full meeting of Plymouth City Council it was agreed a “period of meaningful community engagement” would take place in February before the designs for Armada Way were finalised.

February 2023 - council starts ‘short, sharp engagement’

Plymouth City Council began what it called “a short sharp engagement" on the stalled revamp and promised to talk to groups opposed to tree-felling. The authority said an “engagement programme” would give people the chance to air their views on the design for the Armada Way project before a final design was agreed at the end of February.

Protesters demand new scheme drawn up

Protesters met council chiefs to say they wanted a new scheme designed that will save the trees. Straw called the council’s “meaningful community engagement” an “insult” to the people of Plymouth and branded the exercise a “box-ticking exercise” with a “mouse trap” questionnaire.

March 2023 - 'monsters of the night' chop down trees

Trees being cut down
Tree-cutting work on Armada Way in Plymouth sparked anger -Credit:Zhara Simpson

The council said it was evaluating the results of the “meaningful community engagement” - but just four days later felled 110 trees under cover of darkness in a lighting raid on Armada Way. The March 14 operation caught many people by surprise, but PlymouthLive was there to photograph the destruction and Straw members stopped the carnage by obtaining a court injunction before all 129 trees could be cut down

Angry reaction at scale of destruction

The following day Plymouth residents reacted angrily when they saw the scale of destruction, with leaders at the local authority being described as "monsters in the night". It emerged that Tory council leader Cllr Richard Bingley had signed off a decision notice for the scheme to go ahead, which made it clear that “there is a risk that the funding from the Transforming Cities Fund could be lost if the project is not implemented quickly”.

Some defended the move, arguing that trees and plants would be replaced once the scheme had been completed. But their voices were largely drowned out by others who called the decision "appalling" and "disgusting".

Labour MP Luke Pollard he was “appalled” the Tory council had chainsawed the trees “under the cover of darkness” calling it “environmental vandalism”.

Labour councillor Charlotte Holloway said she felt “incredibly sad and dejected” and that the decision had been “forced through completely at odds with the vast majority of public sentiment”.

Public opposition

Armada Way in Plymouth after the felling of the trees
Armada Way in Plymouth after the felling of the trees -Credit:STRAW Plymouth

Plymouth City Council’s own “meaningful engagement” process resulted in an “overwhelming objection” to the proposal, it emerged. A council document said 68% - that’s 1,537 people - of all respondents did not support the Armada Way upgrade plan, with 16% (365) in support and 15% (330) answering “yes” but with changes being made. Submissions from within the city boundaries again showed an overwhelming majority of respondents opposed to the scheme.

But the council said that if it took out the responses from people opposed who did not give a reason why “then the scheme has significant support.” It blamed Straw for having a “significant impact” on the responses.

Celebrities wade in

The row over the destruction escalated with protesters receiving messages from around the country and even celebrities becoming involved. Members of Straw were interviewed by top radio hosts Adrian Chiles and Jeremy Vine, and national TV crews from the BBC, ITV and Channel 5 visited the city.

Plymouth became the top trending word on Twitter with more than 31,000 tweets mostly decrying the local authority’s decision to chop down healthy trees under the cover of darkness. Among celebrities wading in to criticise the tree-chopping were wildlife presenter Chris Packham, financial broadcaster Paul Lewis, LBC presenter Nick Ferrari, and Good Morning Britain’s Dr Amir Khan.

Best-selling Plymouth author Babs Horton called the tree-felling “beyond heartbreaking”. The Woodland Trust said: “We are appalled.” RSPB England said it was “shocked by the felling of trees in Plymouth. Devon organic veg company Riverford tweeted: “A tragedy for the city and biodiversity.”

LBC presenter Nick Ferrari said: “You've got men and women climbing ladders, using chainsaws and those giant chipping machines, and you do it in darkness, at night because of 'safety concerns'. What a load of cobblers.”

Court battle

Straw saw donations pour as they sought a judicial review of the council’s decision to remove the trees. A crowdfunding page on the platform CrowdJustice soon passed £10,300..

Straw argued that the council should have submitted an alternative proposal that would have allowed the regeneration of Armada Way to progress without removing healthy trees. Straw claimed the council failed to follow its own policies, particularly around staging a public consultation. Straw also refused to grant permission for the council to remove the felled trees in Armada Way while the court injunction was in place.

Public protest

Hundreds of people turned up in Armada Way to “grieve” for the 110 trees chopped down by Plymouth City Council. Many left messages, wrote on the pavement, laid flowers, or tied coloured ribbons to the fencing in front of the felled trees.

Some people created artwork and attached it to the fences. Much of it was by children. Messages left included: “sorry you're gone”, “I love trees”, “sorry for being chopped down”, and “we miss our trees, we want them back”.

Children's tears

Campaigners were outraged after children’s poignant artwork was removed from the scene of the tree-felling and branded the culprit “callous” and “disgusting”. It was not known who removed the artworks, or why.

Public inquiry call

Tory council leader Richard Bingley called for an independent public inquiry into the whole Armada Way redevelopment. The politician said he wanted the probe to focus on the decision making process - and the involvement of other political parties - that led to 110 trees being felled and the subsequent public furore.

Cllr Bingley actually praised Straw for their “sincerity” and for running a “successful publicity campaign”, even though he disagreed with their “absolutist point of view”. He even urged members to stand for election to the council.

Leader steps down

Tory leader Richard Bingley sensationally resigned as council leader. Opponents of the chainsaw carnage said the politician had no option but to step down in the face of growing discontent with the Armada Way project and his administration.

Members of Straw said Cllr Bingley’s decision was not unexpected in the circumstances and hoped the council will now abandon efforts to remove an injunction preventing further tree felling. Cllr Bingley had come under increasing pressure after signing the executive decision to press ahead with the redevelopment of Armada Way

But he insisted this was the right thing to do and it would result in a “wonderful tree-lined zone whereby businesses and cafes and people feel safe”. Cllr Bingley also had to deal with the resignation of several high-profile Tory councillors and ended up leading a minority administration after taking over from Cllr Nick Kelly, who then left the Conservative group, in March 2022.

Plymouth’s Tory MPs then amazed many by calling on Labour to take over the city council. Johnny Mercer and Sir Gary Streeter said Labour supremo Tudor Evans should now form an administration until the local elections in May.

Tory MPs call for Labour to take over council

Plymouth’s Tory MPs sensationally called on Labour to take over the city council amid chaos following Cllr Bingley’s resignation. Johnny Mercer and Sir Gary Streeter said Labour supremo Tudor Evans should now form an administration until the local elections in May.

Power vacuum

Labour leader Tudor Evans said only his party could sort out the chaos following the resignation of Cllr Bingley - but not until after the next election. Cllr Evans said his team would be able to restore stability following the pandemonium - but said the public needs to elect them first.

Injunction upheld

The injunction preventing the removal of Armada Way’s remaining trees was upheld by a high court judge. It meant Plymouth City Council couldn't cut down the remaining 19 trees under threat in the city centre, but it could remove the ones it has already felled.

Keir Starmer chips in

Labour leader Keir Starmer branded the Armada Way tree-felling “environmental vandalism” and the Tory-led council “shambolic” but said Tudor Evans did the right thing in not taking control.

Mr Starmer, in Plymouth to launch his party’s local elections drive, said he was shocked when he saw 110 trees chopped down and said the council had gotten itself into “a mess”.

April 2023 - birds stop clean up

An operation to remove the felled trees in Plymouth city centre was postponed due to nesting birds. Plymouth City Council had planned to haul away 110 chopped-down trees, branches and stumps but called a halt. after experts chosen by Straw requested a delay. They wanted information about how the work would be carried out to ensure potential nests were not disturbed.

Meanwhile, business chiefs urged the council to sort out the stalled redevelopment as a “matter of urgency” saying the latest delay was damaging trade.

May 2023 - Tudor takes over and makes Armada Way a priority

Newly-elected Plymouth City Council leader Tudor Evans pledged to make sorting out the Armada Way tree debacle “top of the to-do list”. The Labour supremo, fresh from triumphing in the council elections, held a meeting with council chief executive Tracey Lee to discuss the stalled regeneration.

Back to drawing board

In a shock U-turn Plymouth City Council officers were sent back to the drawing board over plans to revamp Armada Way after new leader Tudor Evans announced the current plan was dead. Former leader Richard Bingley accused the new Labour administration of giving in to “extremists” after its U-turn. Straw denied being “extremists” and welcomed Cllr Evans’ decision to send the £12.7m scheme back to the drawing board.

June 2023 - bid to end legal fight

Plymouth City Council made a failed bid to end the legal battle over the Armada Way trees before it got to court. The authority had applied directly to the High Court asking it to consider stopping the judicial review brought by Straw, but was unsuccessful.

Costs revealed

The stalled Armada Way revamp cost taxpayers more than £200,000, it was revealed. Sums released by Plymouth City Council under the Freedom of Information Act showed the authority had to pay for two abandoned attempts to cut down trees and for the scrapped clean-up operation.

Clean up begins

Plymouth's felled city centre tree stumps were removed and fencing was pulled back on Armada Way, as part of the new council's push to tidy up the city centre.

Consultation and review

Plymouth City Council leader Tudor Evans promised a public consultation on a new plan for Armada Way. The Labour leader also announced an independent review would examine how the authority handled the Armada Way redevelopment.

August 2023 - new bid to stop legal battle

Plymouth City Council made a fresh bid to halt the legal battle over the chopped-down Armada Way trees even though a previous attempt ended in failure. The authority made another application to the High Court but again it was unsuccessful.

October 2023 - new plans revealed

A new plan was revealed for Armada Way which would see trees retained, new ones planted and a range of new features including a huge children’s play area. The council launched a six-week public consultation on the proposals. The authority said the proposed scheme would fall within the original £12.7m budget, and would provide “a greener, safer, more family friendly city centre” with more greenery including 50 more trees than there were on Armada Way before the felling.

January 2024 - plans changed

The six-week consultation resulted in a series of key changes to the design including retaining more than three quarters of the existing trees in Armada Way. Two of the trees that were proposed for translocation were incorporated in the proposed final design. In addition, more green space, a better-defined cycle path, more seating and changes to some of the new tree species were made.

Cost leaps to £37m

The cost of the troubled Armada Way revamp was predicted to skyrocket to almost £37m. A Plymouth City Council report said it needed an extra £22.8m of spending to be approved by the cabinet for its newly revised scheme.

When plans for a new layout were revealed in October 2023 the council said the proposed scheme would fall within the original budget of £12.7m. But the project, changed again after a public consultation, was hit by huge increases in construction costs nationally.

February 2024 - fresh legal tussle

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/new-legal-fight-brewing-over-9085803

Plymouth City Council faced a new legal fight over the troubled Armada Way revamp. Lawyers for Straw sent the authority a letter saying it could face a second judicial review - this time claiming its consultation on the revised scheme was “unlawful”.

They alleged the council failed to carry out a fair consultation into the revised scheme and that the revised cost was “critical information” that should have been consulted on. The council denied this.

New design approved

How Plymouth City Council's regeneration of Armada Way could look -Credit:Submitted
How Plymouth City Council's regeneration of Armada Way could look -Credit:Submitted

The redesigned plan to revamp Armada Way was approved but the final cost was not yet known. Plymouth City Council ’s cabinet confirmed the new design and approved moves to keep the cost within £37m but stressed it couldn’t be done “on the cheap”.

March 2024 - legal case thrown out but inquiry ordered

A case on whether the Armada Way trees were chopped down unlawfully was thrown out of court. A High Court judge dismissed the judicial review brought by Straw saying he did not consider the circumstances surrounding the decision to cut down the trees to be exceptional. Straw said: “It’s deeply disappointing.”

But Plymouth City Council was told it will face an independent review into its actions. The judge said it needs to learn from its actions and ordered a review as soon as possible.

Council pays legal costs

Plymouth City Council was ordered to pay £35,000 towards the legal costs of Straw despite its case being chucked out of court, it emerged. The authority stressed it had not paid all the costs Straw wanted. Meanwhile, Straw said its lawyers were looking after £29,125 donated to

May 2024 - 'military operation' revealed

The council’s "military-style" operation to remove the Armada Way trees was designed to keep protesters at bay and avoid challenges, documents submitted to the High Court revealed. Although the judicial review into the decision to fell the trees was dismissed by the High Court, documents and transcripts which formed part of the hearing showed meticulous pre-planning, days ahead of the executive decision by Cllr Bingley.

July 2024 - another legal fight

Plymouth City Council found itself facing another legal battle over its decision to cut down trees in Armada Way. The authority will appear at London’s High Court in October for a contempt of court preliminary civil hearing.

Straw brought the action alleging the authority breached terms of an injunction which prevented it felling all 129 trees in Armada Way in March 2023. The council stressed it will refute the allegations and said it was disappointed to be hauled back before a judge, claiming it will cost taxpayers money.

It came as Straw learned it would not be able to appeal against the High Court’s dismissal of the judicial review in March. The Court of Appeal will not hear an appeal bid against the lower court’s decision that the council acted lawfully when it ordered the destruction of the trees to make way for a revamp of Armada Way,

August 2024 - prep work begins

South West Water carrying out work in Armada Way, August 2024 -Credit:William Telford
South West Water carrying out work in Armada Way, August 2024 -Credit:William Telford

Work started to pave the way for the upgrade of Armada Way as South West Water began digging in Plymouth city centre ahead of the planned redevelopment of the thoroughfare. The water company and Plymouth City Council stressed this was not the start of the planned redevelopment but work that needs to be carried out on an underground sewer before the actual upgrade can begin.

Council says costs slashed

The council said construction costs to regenerate Plymouth’s Armada Way had been reduced by about £7m. The project will now cost close to £30m. The authority said 62% of the cost will be funded from the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund and the Future High Streets Fund, with contributions from developers, funding from the Climate Emergency Investment Fund, council borrowing and cash from the sale of surplus property.

Elements of upgrade put on hold

Work on the regeneration of Armada Way is due to start in October 2024 - but it is not known when it will end. That is because Plymouth City Council wants to carry out the ambition regeneration project in phases with dates for the final one yet to be confirmed.

Documents presented to the council’s cabinet showed the scheme will now be delivered in four phases and it is hoped to have construction completed by August 2026. Cabinet were asked to approve spending of £29,892,655 on the project, lower than the £37m forecast, but the authority admitted it would be “delaying redevelopment of the Piazza at this stage”.

It is unclear if the cost of this final stage of work is included in the new budget. Documents published prior to the meeting said that due to construction works in Royal Parade and uncertainties with the city centre sustainable drainage programme it means “it is not prudent to let a contract at this point with those uncertainties”.

The document said that construction on what is being called Zone 4, covering the Piazza, is “to be confirmed”. Under the council’s plan, the Piazza was to have refurbished paving, lighting columns, tree rain gardens, and monolithic concrete and timber benches.

September 2024 - council to borrow millions of pounds

It emerged that Plymouth City Council will have to borrow nearly £10m and sell off millions of pounds of assets to pay for the regeneration of Armada Way. Documents presented to the council’s cabinet said further borrowing could have to take place until unnamed assets are sold.

The documents showed that almost a third of the total £29,892,665 cost - £9,238,401 - will come from corporate borrowing. Another 29% will be paid from the sale of “surplus property”.

The council has “ring-fenced” assets which it is selling, estimated to be worth about £12,750,000 of which £8,716,449 will be used to pay construction costs on the Armada Way scheme. The council told PlymouthLive details of the assets being disposed of is commercially sensitive information.

But until they are sold, short-term corporate borrowing will be needed to underwrite the use of these capital receipts which could take two to five years to come in, during which the Armada Way scheme will be under construction. This could mean that the council ends up paying interest on up to £18m of borrowing. The council told PlymouthLive it would seek the most affordable borrowing option.

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