The people of Clavering, Essex, face losing a historic, beloved and irreplaceable ancient tree to development. The tree is an ancient oak pollard which marks the boundary of the parish and can be seen on Victorian maps. Ancient trees are treasuries of biodiversity, sites of special scientific interest, heritage assets, natural monuments and cultural and spiritual resources and as such should be given automatic protection under the law. We call on the Government to grant ancient trees the same legal protection as important hedgerows and prohibit the cutting down, uprooting, topping, lopping, wilful destruction or damage of ‘important trees’ (which meet certain criteria) without Local Planning Authority consent. We call on Essex Highways to immediately protect the tree from high vehicles and improve road safety by installing a kerb, arrow and bollard. We also call on Uttlesford District Council to reject Planning Application UTT/23/3135/FUL in which a developer seeks to remove the irreplaceable Clatterbury Oak tree, Clavering, Essex. Email comments to planning@uttlesford.gov.uk quoting ref: UTT/23/3135/FUL by 28 Feb 2024.