A NEW pre-school for children is more important to the community than the fate of two trees.

That is the verdict of Welland Parish Council, which believes plans for the £200,000 building could be affected if preservation orders are put on a lime and horse chestnut on the site.

A meeting with the district council's conservation officer has been arranged for July 5, to look at the trees and discuss the issue.

The parish council says it will object to the Tree Preservation Orders if MHDC goes ahead.

At a meeting this week, parish councillors agreed the pre-school was an important community facility.

They felt a new building would enable it to offer a wider range of facilities to more local children and plans should not be stopped for the sake of two trees.

The trees are in the car park next to the village hall and it is here that the new building would be sited.

"We just need to weigh up the community benefit of the loss of the tree with the gaining of a new pre school," said chairman Roger Cousins. "Surely we can persuade people that this one tree needs to go."

He said the planning application stated that another mature tree would be planted in the village as a replacement for the horse chestnut and that the removal of the lime had already been considered because it was split.

Welland Pre-School is run by a committee of parents and is currently based at the primary school, where space is limited.

If plans for a new building are approved, it could expand to provide care for 42 children and offer a breakfast club and after-school care.