Having read the letter from Patricia Sullivan of Ashley Heath (March 26) regarding the felling of several healthy English oaks at Oakmead College, I have to ask as to what planet is she on, when writing “perhaps the college made a genuine mistake”?

A mistake! Heaven help us.

Some seven large and maturing specimens of high visible and wildlife value which formed part of a line of trees and which were not affected by any recent planning decision. A mistake!

A design and access statement submitted by the College architect for the planning application at that time for the volleyball building stated, “There are trees within and to the boundaries of the site and these are not affected by the proposals”.

When the college became a trust, in effect it moved away from council control. Where any felling of trees on council land required prior approval, since this incident, all schools/colleges, academies are to have full TPO placed on them to prevent re-occurrence of such action.

CLLR RON WHITTAKER, Independent, Throop & Muscliff Ward, Bournemouth