Ex-Archbishop of Canterbury hits out a Ripon Cathedral's £8m plans over loss of 'treasured trees'
The former Archbishop of Canterbury has added his voice to protests against a ‘threat to historic trees’ posed by controversial plans for a new annexe at Ripon Cathedral.
Since Ripon Cathedral first submitted its £8 million plans in December 2022 to build a two-storey structure on part of the public open space known as Minster Gardens, the row over the impact on trees has grown deeper and more vociferous.
The cathedral’s chapter argues the building is much-needed and will provide a new song school for its choir, a cafe, toilet facilities and disabled access.
But concern over the involve loss of a veteran beech tree, as well as 10 other trees in the gardens, has led to major campaign against the plans which is likely to be decided by councillors on North Yorkshire Council later in the year.
Now the former Archbishop of Canterbury has joined the debate, speaking in support of protecting the park and trees.
The Rt Revd and Rt Hon. Dr Rowan Williams, who held the position of Archbishop of Canterbury from December 2002 to December 2012, said: "I want to join my voice to those who have expressed concern at the threat to historic trees posed by the plans for developments at Ripon Cathedral.
"These plans do indeed promise important new possibilities for Cathedral and city, and I understand the needs and pressures to expand facilities.
"But, in the long term, any development that ignores the balance and well-being of the natural environment will have the effect of closing down possibilities.
"Like so many others, I hope that there will be an opportunity to think again about the need to preserve these treasured elements of the landscape in Ripon.”
Dr Williams is not the only significant figure at the national level to come out against Ripon Cathedral’s plans.
Earlier this year, actor Dame Judi Dench, who is an ambassador and patron for the Woodland Trust, argued that the trees that would be chopped down to make way for Ripon Cathedral’s £8m new annexe should be saved.
Ripon Cathedral’s chapter has pledged that new trees would be planted at the site and elsewhere to mitigate for those that would be lost.
Speaking previously, The Dean of Ripon the Very Rev John Dobson, said: “No one takes a decision to cut down a tree lightly but we believe this new development will bring a wide range of benefits to the city.
“We are planting 14 trees around the development and a further 300 on land which has been made available to us at Studley, as well as increasing the biodiversity of the green space created.”