Sheffield tree-felling inquiry: Report into Sheffield City Council controversy to be published today

The felling of hundreds of trees made national headlines between 2016 and 2018 as residents in some of Sheffield’s greenest suburbs battled with contractor, Amey, to prevent the trees being removed. A number of protesters were arrested, including some in early morning raids.

The investigation, led by Sir Mark Lowcock, will look into the 25-year £2.2 billion private finance initiative agreement Sheffield City Council and Amey penned in 2009. Amey was signed on to manage Sheffield highways, pavements and roads, as well as manage the city’s highway trees.

The Council reportedly indicated 10,000 trees would be removed and replaced, however, cabinet meeting documents revealed the target was to remove and replace 17,500 trees.

In 2016, former Sheffield Hallam MP, Sir Nick Clegg, said the scheme was supposed to be “good news for Sheffield”, but became a “national scandal” under the Council’s leadership at the time.

Sir Lowcock, who is chairing the investigation, said the inquiry is to “support the ongoing recovery in Sheffield from the dispute” and to “help minimise the risk of the dispute re-emerging in future”.