NOTICES claiming a beloved Hertford oak tree which dates back hundreds of years will be chopped down to unlock 100 homes are fake, the local council said.

Two “notification of tree removal” flyers, which feature the East Herts District Council logo, have been photographed stuck to Bengeo’s “Lonely Oak”.

The Lonely Oak tree dates back to the reign of Queen Victoria and is the sole survivor of the trees that once grew along the ancient footpath across Bengeo Field. It has since become the symbol adopted by campaigners.

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The council has confirmed the notices are false, and that the Hertford landmark is set to remain standing.

A masterplan for Bengeo Field, where the oak stands, maps out where the 100 new homes should go if a planning application is agreed.

A note on the map reads: “Existing oak to be retained.”

The hoax notices read: “Due to recent applications in accordance with the Town and Country Planning Act 1947, this tree will be removed on 25/05/2023.

“For further information please contact East Herts council [sic.] via our online portal at www.eastherts.gov.uk or direct via email: customer.services@eastherts.gov.uk”

An East Herts District Council spokesperson confirmed the hoax notices have been taken down.

A statement by the authority reads: “The notices placed on the oak tree in Bengeo Field are not genuine.

“The tree is not within the site area allocated for development in the District Plan.”

The Bengeo Field development “North of Hertford – Land West of Wadesmill Road”, which is also known as HERT4, phase two, should feature “a range and mix of around 100 dwellings including a 40 per cent of affordable housing”.

The masterplan, which was agreed in November 2022, also sets out the development should include “integrated public open spaces incorporating children’s play facilities, sustainable drainage strategies [and] the retention, strengthening and enhancement of existing landscape features”.

The 5.24-hectare site proposes new native tree-planting, with green space to “encourage biodiversity, create amenity value and enhance existing hedges and trees with additional landscape elements to provide a mix of habitats.”

Save Bengeo Field is campaigning against the proposed development.

“The rolling landscape of Bengeo Field with its attractive views of the Rib Valley have long been cherished,” a campaign statement reads.

“The pathway through Bengeo Field, which passes by the Lonely Oak, is extremely popular and surveys provide evidence that increasing number of people use it for a variety of activities.”

A campaign spokesperson said: “Although the notices are part of a timewasting joke, the reaction on social media in support of preserving the landscape shows the passion of our community to preserve our green space and environment.”