Campaigners want to block plans by Brent Council to cut down all the trees on their road as part of a repaving project.

Those living on The Ridgeway, in Kenton, want to protect the 20 trees that line the street and intend to draw up a petition against their removal.

They argue they provide significant environmental health benefits and questioned the council’s plans in the face of a growing need to combat climate change.

The council intends to replace the trees with younger ones in a year’s time, but the protestors are concerned that they could take ten years to make semi-maturity.

In a statement, they said: “The council seems to be disregarding the great benefits mature trees give – from quality of life and mental health benefits to reducing Kenton’s carbon footprint.

“No doubt it is doing its best with all the slashed budgets, but residents of The Ridgeway and surrounding streets fear that this will become the norm and that, in a few years’ time, many streets will become denuded of mature trees.

“What will the pollution be like soon, with all the new housing being built in the area?”

They added that the decision is seemingly at odds with the council’s recent announcement of a ‘climate assembly’ given trees’ impact on the environment.

A spokesman for Brent Council explained that repaving projects give it the opportunity to assess the state of trees and replace them if necessary.

He said: “Whenever we decide we must remove a tree as part of these works, it’s always a case of one out, one in, so there is no net loss.

“We are very mindful of air quality and climate change considerations and the council is committed to a much wider programme of planting new trees all over Brent.

“There’s a balance to be struck. As the local highways authority, we do have a duty to provide safe footways for our residents, particularly for the elderly and for those with mobility issues.”