Planning Application 2019/2514 is for the next phase of the Woodberry Down development and is the one that dooms the “Happy Man Tree”. The application is to be considered at the Planning Committee on 9th September

The Conservation Area Advisory Committee said, in response to this application when first presented: “Had there been a proper understanding of the importance of the mature Happy Man Tree at the outset, there could be a scheme in front of us, equally ambitious but that avoided the loss.”

The Happy Man Tree campaign is urging people to comment. Their website is https://www.thehappymantree.org/post/contact-hackney-council-with-your-views-by-1-september

They say:

Contact Hackney Council with your views by 1 September

The future of the Happy Man Tree will be decided at a Hackney Council planning meeting on 9 September.

Local residents and members of the community now have a chance to send comments about the Happy Man Tree to the Planning Committee.

• Friends of the Happy Man Tree are campaigning for the tree to be kept as part of Phase 3 of the Woodberry Down development. We believe that with some commitment the tree can be retained alongside the provision of new social housing.
• The Happy Man Tree provides important ecological benefits.
• The Happy Man Tree is a much loved part of the community. It is a healthy mature tree which has stood for 150 years, surviving two world wars and the estate’s development around it.
• Many hundreds of supporters have told us that they want the Happy Man Tree to be kept.

How to send in your comments

Hackney Council are inviting comments for consideration by the Planning Committee to be received by 1 September. Comments need not be lengthy and could just be a few sentences.

Please EMAIL COMMENTS to planning@hackney.gov.uk about saving the Happy Man Tree or anything else about the development (putting Woodberry Down Phase 3 in the subject heading).

You can also SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE and look at details of the development by searching by application number 2019/2514 at https://hackney.gov.uk/planning-applications

If you would like support to submit your comments a volunteer at the Happy Man Tree will be able to help you.

Download the leaflet