THE EARLIEST councillors will discuss whether work should be carried out on a Barrow street where trees were previously earmarked for felling will be January.

Members of Furness Locality Board will consider in January 2025 if any work should be carried out on Infield Park, where plans were previously in place to fell 19 trees.

Westmorland and Furness Council previously paused plans to fell trees on Infield Park and said it would engage with residents to discuss options.

READ MORE: Tree felling on Barrow street postponed to 'engage' with residents

A report prepared for the Furness Locality Board on August 21 says a public consultation will take place at ‘some point’ in September to October before a report is prepared for the locality board meeting in January.

At a council meeting on April 17, a representative speaking on behalf of the Infield Park residents asked if ‘any solution will be approved by elected officials following a thorough consultation process with the public’.

In response chair of the locality board, councillor Tony Callister, told the board: “Furness locality board will be presented with the results of the Infield Park public consultation and a report from the WAF (Westmorland and Furness) network team for the locality board to discuss if any work should be carried out on Infield Park.”

A spokesperson for Westmorland and Furness Council previously said: “Works to improve the footway at Infield Park in Barrow have been paused until after the bird nesting season has finished.

“We appreciate the importance of trees both for our environment and our communities, and the council’s local members and officers are currently engaging further with residents of Infield Park to review available options regarding the works and to listen to any concerns they may have.”

This comes after residents received a letter from the council on March 6 informing them of the proposed tree felling, which the council said was necessary for ‘public safety’ over concerns of the state of uneven pavements.

Residents previously complained, saying they had not been involved in any of the decision making.

READ MORE: Plans to axe trees on Barrow street met with 'upset and disgust'

In March a spokesperson for Westmorland and Furness Council said: “Following concerns raised by the public regarding the felling of trees at Infield Park in Barrow, we acknowledge this has caused upset and as a result the planned works are being paused.”

The letter residents received from the council on March 6 said tree felling and re-planting would be taking place between houses 5-21 and 2-20 on the street.

It stated: “I am writing to inform you of tree felling works that we plan to undertake on the above section of the highway. Unfortunately, due to the footway damage this work is necessary to public safety.

“The large-scale root heave in the footway means that repairs cannot be carried out without removing the existing trees. Footway construction works are due to commence in the next financial year.”

Local resident Joanne Fitzsimmons previously said: “The birds, bats and wildlife in the street will be eradicated overnight if these mature trees are felled.”

In March residents said they had collected a list of approximately 15 birds sighted in the last month on the street, which include a collared woodcock dove as well as a flock of long tailed tits and they also said the street has its own tawny owl.