A memorial oak tree planted to honour Winston Churchill has been cut down in a Leicestershire village after planning permission was granted for a new housing development.
The tree, planted in the 1960s in Cossington, was removed to create access to a new estate despite years of campaigning by residents to save it.
Some have now claimed the decision to remove the tree had already been approved at the outline planning stage before many realised what the documents allowed.
What is the housing project?
The oak stood on Main Street in the village and was planted in 1967 to commemorate the death of Churchill.
It was removed to make way for an access road to a proposed 130-home development by Bellway on land on the eastern edge of the village.
Planning permission for the scheme was granted by Charnwood Borough Council, with detailed approval issued in late 2025. The development will include houses, bungalows and maisonettes, with around 40% of the properties designated as affordable homes.
Planning documents submitted with the scheme set out tree protection measures for trees due to be retained on the site. These included protective fencing, construction exclusion zones and root protection areas in line with British Standard BS5837 to safeguard trees during building works.
The documents also stated that trees not retained as part of the proposals should be felled before protective barriers are installed, allowing construction to proceed safely around the remaining trees.
Campaign to save the Churchill oak fails
Despite planning approval, villagers spent years campaigning to prevent the tree from being removed.
A petition organised through the parish council gathered nearly 60,000 signatures, highlighting the strength of feeling among residents who considered the oak a historic part of the village.
Some locals were left in tears after watching workmen use a cherry picker to dismantle the tree earlier this year.
In online discussions following the felling, one widely shared comment claimed the decision to remove the oak had effectively been “slipped through” the outline planning stage.
One commenter online responded to the Parish council's statement said: "In retrospect this shows how carefully 'outline planning applications' should be checked. Apparently the tree was identified for removal on the outline plan and the outline plans were approved without anyone noticing the tree would go."
They added that by the time residents became fully aware during later consultations on detailed plans, the principle of removing the tree had already been approved and "there was nothing we could do about it".
Plans for the tree’s legacy
Although the oak has been removed, efforts are being made to preserve its memory in the village.
The trunk has been salvaged and will be turned into a sculpture themed around Winston Churchill, which will be displayed somewhere in the community. Local councillor James Poland said he had secured £5,000 in funding from Leicestershire County Council to support the project.
The parish council will oversee the commission and design of the sculpture so the memorial to Churchill can continue to be recognised in the village.
A spokesperson for Bellway said the tree had to be removed to create the site entrance and there was no alternative access point to the development. The company added that it will plant a number of new trees across the site as part of the landscaping plan, alongside areas of public open space included within the housing scheme.
