Popular city tree protected with new order following hotel plans

Norwich Lanes took to social media to announce the "excellent news" that the silver maple tree on Pottergate is now "safe and sound".

The tree has been a big talking point in the past, with initial plans for a 91 bedroom, seven-storey hotel being turned down last year after the public raise objections over the silver maple's removal.

After developers revised their plans as a result of the tree, Norwich City Council's website now shows a TPO is in place for the silver maple, which is located on the corner of Pottergate and Dove Street.

The much-loved silver maple tree in Pottergate (Image: Norwich Lanes)

A statement from the Norwich Lanes committee in response to the order said: "You can see from the support on our social media feeds how much this tree means to the local traders and the people of Norwich too.

"The maple is a much-loved focal point in the Norwich Lanes so we are absolutely delighted with the TPO."

Miriam Devlin, of Thorns DIY on Exchange Street, said: "We are very pleased it has been preserved as part of the Norwich Lanes community, and it has been there for a long time.

"There was a lot of support for the tree so I had a feeling it would survive. It is good the hotel developers have revised their plans to accommodate the tree. People like to see greenery and it adds to the charm of Norwich city centre."

A TPO is an order made by a local planning authority to protect specific trees, groups of trees or woodlands in the interests of amenity.

It means the tree cannot be cut down, damaged or uprooted without the local planning authority's written consent.

Developers' initial plans to transform Chamberlain House on the corner of Guildhall Hill and Dover Street had raised the prospect of the tree being removed.

But the silver gate tree was described as "an important landmark in an area otherwise devoid of any trees and planting" at the time by objectors as the plans were later revised.