St Albans: Resident's anger after trees chopped down

Anna Dub and her partner Piotr live in one of the 33 properties that are part of Cedar Court, managed by estate agents and block management company Benjamin Stevens.

She has hit out at what she describes as "a lack of transparency" after seeing the trees cut down with no prior consultation.

She told the Herts Ad: "We had no information or warning prior to people coming and chopping down the trees, just nothing.

"The trees were healthy, there was no damage or reason to cut them down.

"I measured them and they weren't too close to the buildings. Nobody seems to know why they were cut down."

The 40-year-old noted that the decision is particularly baffling because whenever properties in the area are advertised, the trees and communal garden are featured prominently in pictures and used as a selling point for Cedar Court.

Anna also suggested that the future value of the properties could be diminished by the loss of the trees, and said she "isn't surprised" by the lack of engagement - complaining of a general lack of communication from the block managers.

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She said: "There are bigger issues, like overflowing bins and foxes but they choose to focus on cutting down trees.

"The trees are valued by the community, we don't just want to live in a block of concrete. They are part of our special communal gardens."

Residents say that they have attempted to contact Benjamin Stevens about the trees and the associated costs of cutting them down, but have had no response in the week since they were cut down.

Piotr had taken to social media to complain of the "disfigurement" of the "healthy and beautiful" trees, describing their loss as " a very sad day for the beautiful greenery in St Albans".

Benjamin Stevens did not respond to a request for comment.