§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what stage negotiations with the London borough of Enfield has reached regarding compensation for the removal from Pymmes park, N18, of a cedar tree as part of the compulsory purchase of license land relating to the widening of the A406; when these negotiations are expected to be concluded; and if he will make a statement. [12250]
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§ Ms Glenda JacksonI have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Andrew Love, dated 31 July 1997:
The Minister for Transport in London has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about negotiations with the London Borough of Enfield over the removal of the cedar tree in Pymmes Park.In April 1996 we wrote to the London Borough of Enfield's Principal Corporate Solicitor, reiterating an offer first made in February 1995 to replace the cedar tree with two mature cedar trees.This letter also reflected our view that we were not liable for any compensation other than that negotiated with the District Valuer for the land needed for the A406 improvement. I enclose a copy of our letter for your information. To date, we have not received a response from the Council.Following is the letter:
We spoke last week about your letter of 25 March and I promised to set out our views on this.Looking back over the papers, I see that we had told you that we expected to take entry into the park before the end of March 1995. We had also written to you on 28 February to say that we could find no way of saving the tree and to offer to provide two replacement trees. That letter also offered a meeting, an offer which received no response.We wrote to you on 27 April to explain further why we could not save the tree; the offer to provide replacement trees stands, but I do not see that we are liable to provide any compensation other than the negotiated with the District Valuer for the land.