Here is why some Northampton School for Boys’ trees were cut down in February half term

If you live near the Billing Road area of Northampton, you may have wondered why a number of trees were recently felled at Northampton School for Boys (NSB).

Temporary traffic lights were installed as the trees by the road were cut down over the course of the school half term break (February 13 - 18). This was to protect drivers from falling branches as they were removed before the trunks were taken down to ground level.

One resident living on Billing Road told Chronicle & Echo: “Work started between 7.30am and 8am with chainsaws and shredders going on for most of the five days.

“Whilst noisy for us residents, we just went about our normal daily routine. To us, these mature trees seemed healthy enough.”

He added: “One benefit is that there is slightly more natural light coming into our second floor apartment.”

Questions were raised as to whether the tree felling had anything to do with Storm Franklin blowing over a tree at NSB in February 2022, smashing four teachers’ cars in the school’s staff car park.

Headmaster at NSB, Richard Bernard, however provided this newspaper with another reason behind the decision.

He said: “The decision to remove the trees was primarily linked to the structural damage they were causing to the physical areas around them.

“Health and Safety factors related to the size of the trees and related concerns regarding pollarding were also a consideration.”

The school told Chronicle & Echo that it will, however, be replanting the area with a fruit orchard as part of the national Veolia Schools’ Orchard Project to help promote sustainability and climate change.

Mr Bernard also pointed out that two significant trees continue to flourish at the historic school.

First, a Hornbeam that was propagated from the only tree that survived the Battle of the Somme in Delville Wood, France.

The other is a Whitebeam, which was planted by Michael Ellis MP as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.